DThese figures document the upswing in Frankfurt at the end of the season: With an average of 78.9 points scored in the first ten Bundesliga basketball games, the Fraport Skyliners are no longer one of the three weakest offensive teams in the division.
In the main round of the preseason, which was shortened by the corona pandemic, there were an average of 75.1 points after 21 matches. Back then, no opponent hit worse than the Skyliners. They also aim much better in free throws. They complete 79.1 percent of their attempts successfully; in the last main round it was only 66.5 percent, which meant the worst record of all clubs. Back then, shooting guard Matthew McQuaid had the best completion rate of the established players with 92.9 percent. Captain Quantez Robertson scored 69.9 percent.
Today, on the other hand, Robertson is more focused on the free throw line with 94.1 percent achieved so far. Matt Mobley, Konstantin Konga and Rasheed Moore are also reliable point guarantees in this category. At 94:89 in Weißenfels, Frankfurt secured their fourth win of the season in the final quarter with confidently converted free throws. Practice makes perfect: After each training session, the Skyliners professionals have to prove themselves from the free throw line: Anyone who has hit ten throws in a row can take a shower. For some, the final exercise from a distance of 5.80 meters is child’s play. The others, however, fight to dutifully meet the requirement. Center Michael Kessens is a shaky candidate in the point games. In terms of the total number of points (8.5), however, the Austrian is the fifth most successful thrower in his team, just behind Robertson (8.6). At the top is Kessens with 6.1 rebounds per game. He is currently the 11th best rebounder in the league. In terms of total rebounds, the Skyliners are among the six strongest clubs.
After three wins from the last five games, the Frankfurters, who are listed in tenth place in the table, want to continue their upward trend and create a novelty in the home game this Sunday (3 p.m.) against Göttingen. For the first time in this round, two first division successes should be achieved in a duel with the fifteenth place. “After our phase of five games over the holidays and between the years, it was now important that we could train again. With a bit of calm we were able to work on the details of our game at both ends of the field, ”said head coach Sebastian Gleim. The result of the groundwork will show the emergency against Göttingen.
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