The second round of the Franconian derby between Würzburg and Bamberg took place just two weeks after the first duel, which Bamberg won. The Upper Franconians took advantage of the momentum and defeated Würzburg again.
Fitness First Würzburg Baskets lost to BMA365 Bamberg Baskets in the Franconian derby by a clear margin of 80:98, suffering their fifth defeat in a row across all competitions. In a game that was open for a long time, Würzburg completely collapsed after the break, while Bamberg made sure of the win early on in the third quarter with a high scoring rate.
The early stages lived up to the derby’s promise. Both teams played intensely, with the lead changing hands a total of twelve times in the first half. Würzburg went into the game as slight favorites, but struggled to find consistency on offense. Bamberg remained patient, repeatedly striking from outside, but was only narrowly ahead at the break.
Three-pointer series seals the deal
The turning point came immediately after the break. After a three-pointer by Richard Balint made it 54:48, Würzburg tried to counter with a timeout, but to no avail. In the following 141 seconds, Bamberg hit three more long-range shots, while Würzburg completely lost its offensive rhythm. Balint became the dominant player in this phase, scoring 15 of his total 17 points in the third quarter. Within a few minutes, a close game became a clear-cut affair. Würzburg lost its grip defensively, allowed Bamberg’s shooters too much freedom and increasingly lost its body language. Even another timeout, in which Coach Sasa Filipovski clearly called his team to order, did not bring about a turnaround. The deficit grew to 25 points at one stage (35th minute), and the derby was decided long before the final buzzer. Bamberg took its foot off the gas a little in the final quarter, but still cruised to victory. Davion Mintz was the hosts’ top scorer with 22 points, while Cobe Williams led Bamberg with 20 points.
