By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Bryce Taylor wasn’t the hero on Wednesday, but Brose Bamberg wouldn’t go through to the Basketball Champions League Final Four without the 32-year-old American-German guard. The German side fell in a 12-point hole, before answering with a 10-0 run fueled by Taylor’s 3/3 shots beyond the arc during the fourth quarter. It all came down to Tyrese Rice floater, but his teammate’s three-pointers kept the visitors alive in their toughest moment.
“It was a big accomplishment to get to the Final Four. We were down 12, but we never gave up, we kept on fighting back” the Oregon alumni said to Eurohoops after the BCL Quarterfinals Gameday 2 contest. Asked about his massive contribution, Taylor added: “Those are the moments you work hard for in the practices. You have to take the chance to make big plays for your team. Today was my chance.”
Coming off 6.8 points per EuroLeague game and 10.6 points per easyCredit BBL contest during his 2017-18 campaign, the 2014 BBL Champion with FC Bayern Munich is only averaging 4.9 points per BCL match and 5.2 points in the German League this season. He missed the Regular Season away match versus AEK, but ultimately at Athens he poured 11 of his 54 Champions League 2018-19 points. Taylor certainly made his shots count when it mattered. He tallied three rebounds and one assist against the Queen as well.
The defending champions will be forced to watch four other teams put their claim on the Basketball Champions League crown in the Final Four. A draw will take place next week in the city chosen to host the final stage of the 2018-19 campaign. Bamberg removed AEK from contention to set its sights on the title. “We got to win regardless who we play against” Taylor mentioned commenting on the Final Four field.
AEK’s crowd was on hand, but fans left OAKA disappointed with the visiting side progressing. “It was an incredible atmosphere. It can be imposing, it can intimating, but we found our way through. It was a great chance to play in front of an incredible atmosphere” Bamberg’s secret weapon admitted afterwards.
A German Duck
After a successful NCAA streak with Oregon, Taylor launched his professional career in Europe. The California native played one season in Italy, before moving to Germany and constantly displaying his talents for BBL fans since. He averaged 12.3 points per game for the Ducks between 2004 and 2008 and went on with some impressive campaigns in Germany and in various European club competitions.
His first Bundesliga stop was with Telekom Baskets Bonn. Taylor sank 12.3 points per contest and also debuted in EuroCup during the 2009-10 season averaging 18.5 points in six games. He continued in EuroCup for two more years with ALBA Berlin posting 7.3 points per match in 2010-11 and 9.8 in 2011-12. He notched 11.5 points per game in his second season with ALBA and his third in the German League as well.
After 13.7 points per BBL game and 10.5 in EuroCup during the 2012-13 campaign with the Artland Dragons he signed with Bayern and helped the club win the 2014 Championship with 10.3 points per match. With the Munich club he debuted in EuroLeague and added on his EuroCup tally, before inking a three-year contract with Bamberg in 2017.
Photo Credit: Basketball Champions League