In front of 6,073 home fans in the Audi Dome, FC Bayern Munich’s basketballers took the first step to defending their Beko BBL league title by defeating Mitteldeutschen BC 86:63 (43:34).

Before the start of the 2014/15 season, FCB coach Svetislav Pesic said the goal at the end of the 34 matchdays was to once again reach the playoffs as the number one team. New signing Vladimir Stimac (14 points) and Robin Benzing (13 points) helped the team take their first step towards that goal on Thursday night.

The guests, who had as many as nine new players, only had one finish with double-digits in the scoring coloumn – Christian Standhardinger (10).

Both teams missed a number of chances, and five days after the Champions Cup defeat to ALBA Berlin, Bayern started nervously. Pesic took a time-out after his side went down by eight points, but then thanks to Benzing, who sunk two from downtown, Bayern got back into the game.

After that, Bayern never lost control. Mitteldeutsche BC have now gone five games in the league against Bayern without defeat.

jh/rc (dpa)