FC Bayern Munich proved to have too many weapons as they cruised to a 110-79 victory over HAKRO Merlins Crailsheim to make up for their opening loss to ratiopharm ulm.
Mathias Lessort collected 20 points and 9 rebounds to lead the way while Maodo Lo scored 17 points and Vladimir Lucic added 14 points in the win as Bayern improved to 1-1 in Group A. Sebastian Herrera paced Craisheim with a career-high 27 points and 5 assists. But the surprise team of the regular season was a shadow of their old selves, also with DeWayne Russell missing the game besides thos players not in Munich and Crailsheim falling to 0-2 in the group.
After it was clear just how much Bayern were missing Greg Monroe in the first game, Mathias Lessort started strong for the two-time reigning champions with a layup, block and two free throws for an 8-5 lead. After Petteri Koponen’s triple made it 11-7, Crailsheim evened the game 11-11 before Maodo Lo drained a long ball and Paul Zipser scored six points in a 15-0 run to finish the first quarter with a 26-11 lead.
Marvin Ogunsipe picked up four points as Crailsheim started the second quarter on a 6-0 run to pull within 26-17 before Koponen’s three-pointer ended a two-minute drought and started a 7-0 answer and 33-17 margin. David Brembly hit five points for Crailsheim but could not really cut into the deficit as Zipser converted a three-point play and Lo drained a triple and Bayern led 51-35 at the break.
Herrera started the second half with a three-point play but Lessort had four points and Lucic converted a four-point play in a 10-0 surge to lead 61-38. Lo added a triple and Danilo Barthel picked up two scores in a 9-2 spurt and the cushion was up to 72-48. The lead was 86-56 after 30 minutes.
Herrera nailed another long ball and Hawkins had three points as Crailsheim opened the fourth quarter with a 10-4 run to move within 90-66. But Bayern would not let them closer the rest of the game.
Quotes: Bayern’s Mathias Lessort: “The most important was to show character and bounce back from (game 1) than the points we scored. We showed great character on defense. That was the most important. We let the opponents (ratiopharm ulm) score 95 points. We cannot play like that.”
“We are missing Greg (Monroe). I don’t think I’m the only one who needs to step up. The whole team has to step up. We are missing two players who are really important to the team (also Nihad Djedovic) so everybody has to give a little more. We have to do it together.”
Bayern head coach Oliver Kostic: “Of course after this game I am satisfied, but this is only one game and only one step for us. We know that the tournament is long and we need to work every day in practice and the next games to improve our game and to be competitive at the end of the tournament.”
Crailsheim’s Sebastian Herrera: “Definitely frustrating. We did not show the team we were the whole season. Unfortunately today we had a very short rotation. And that’s always hard against a EuroLeague team.”