Telekom Baskets Baskets upset Munich in a playing frenzy
Bonn · The Baskets played with high energy and emotion on Tuesday evening at the Telekom Dome, knocking down Bayern München 95:83. Fans increased the adrenalin level.
There’s a German song that goes, “Zieht den Bayern die Lederhosen aus” and that’s what the Baskets fans were singing in the last minute before the siren rang to signal the end of the game. It’s hard to translate the saying literally, but it carries the meaning of “beat the pants off of them” - which is what they did to Bayern on this night. The surprise was perfect. Bonn’s outstanding playmaker Josh Mayo had just completed two free throws to make it 93:80, giving the Baskets an unbelievable 13 point lead. Even the favored team would not be able to overcome such a big lead. Not on this night and not against this Bonn team, which played with incredible high energy and emotion, earning a much-deserved win against FC Bayern München.
5,520 fans were at the game, and a couple of times, they were up in arms about the referee’s calls, launching protests with whistles and shouts. This only served to throw more adrenalin into the game for the Baskets. From the start, the Baskets played right on par with Bayern.
Filip Barovic was outstanding with 13 points and 2 blocks before the pause. Mayo brought his team into the lead at the beginning of the third quarter with a free throw. After that, the Baskets never let go of their lead.
After the first half, everyone thought Munich would come back but they only managed a short lead. At the beginning of the third quarter, they managed a 49 to 46 spring but the Bonn Baskets responded with an impressive and courageous showing. Especially one man seemed determined to ensure victory: Ryan Thompson. With 32 points, he dominated, with 24 of those points coming in the second half. Other lead scorers were Josh Mayo with 21 points, Filip Barovic with 13 points and Ken Horton with 11 points.
All the Baskets also rose to the challenge and refused to back down one inch, defending their lead in a way that hasn’t been seen in a long time in Hardtberg (district in Bonn). At the end, Bayern was in fact without their “Lederhosen” and the Telekom Baskets were celebrating a big win.
(Orig. text: Gerhard Mertens/ck)
