Munich team player Ibaka outstanding: "Good job done"
Serge Ibaka shone in front of Gordon Herbert and Thomas Tuchel. The former NBA professional was the outstanding man in FC Bayern Munich's surprising Euroleague win against the basketball team from Virtus Bologna. German national basketball coach Herbert and Munich soccer coach Tuchel also experienced this on Thursday evening at BMW Park.
Winger Ibaka also proved to be a consummate team player after the final whistle of the 90:76 (44:46) victory. "We did a good job as a team," praised the 34-year-old after Munich's fourth win in a row in all competitions. They won two Euroleague games in a row for the first time this season. With five wins in eleven games, the trend is now pointing upwards.
"We started a little cautiously, but we trusted each other and stepped up our intensity in defense in the second half. That earned us the win," said Ibaka, who stood out with 24 points and 13 rebounds.
However, the former Oklahoma City Thunder and Toronto Raptors pro had problems against the Italians at the start. "Serge wasn't so good in the first quarter. It was difficult for him to help in defense or not," said coach Pablo Laso, "but he made shots, unlike on days when he's really good and doesn't score much. He increased his concentration in defense in the second half and was then very dominant." That's why Munich brought Ibaka on board in the summer.
As usual, FC Bayern hardly have time to take a deep breath in view of the multiple workload. Munich have to play again on Sunday (5 p.m.) in the eternal Bundesliga duel at Alba Berlin. Both teams have six wins from nine games.
The comparison at international level is quite different. Berlin has just one win from eleven games in the Euroleague after beating Maccabi Tel Aviv 81:102. Alba is bottom of the international league.
Ibaka's impressive performance in the Euroleague extended beyond FC Bayern Munich's victory against Virtus Bologna, as he also helped secure two consecutive wins in the competition for the first time this season. With FC Bayern's recent signing, the Euroleague's top-tier basketball club FC Bayern Munich, facing off against Serie A club Fiorentina's basketball team in the Euroleague, Ibaka could potentially showcase his skills again.
Source: www.dpa.com
