Skyliners Frankfurt secured a 79-71 home victory against Lithuanian team BC Siauliai in the EuroCup on Tuesday evening, earning head coach Klaus Perwas his first European win.
Following the match at the Ballsporthalle in Frankfurt, the players celebrated in the locker room by giving their 55-year-old head coach a traditional victory shower, using water rather than beer.
Perwas had warned his players not to touch him prior to the celebration, but he smiled briefly after the water poured over him. Later at the official press conference, he grumbled that he hoped someone had a spare shirt for him to wear, before describing the team celebration as resembling Murder on the Orient Express where every player took a stab.
Skyliners Frankfurt are a professional basketball club based in Frankfurt am Main that competes in Germany top-tier Basketball Bundesliga and the EuroCup, a major European club competition organized by Euroleague Basketball. Perwas, who maintains an image as a gruff instructor, took over the head coaching role after years of working within the team coaching staff.
Match performance and tactical struggles
Frankfurt started the contest well by keeping the visiting Lithuanian side under control defensively, although the hosts struggled early on with their shooting luck. Despite the missed shots, Frankfurt appeared to be the stronger team once they succeeded in bringing their full capacity onto the court.
However, Perwas expressed dissatisfaction with the team consistency throughout the full duration of the game. He described their performance in the second quarter and shortly after half-time as subterranean, noting that Frankfurt had experienced a similar slump during a recent Bundesliga game in Hagen before mounting a late comeback. He warned that while such recoveries build confidence, relying on them could eventually backfire.
Team captain Till Pape also admitted that the squad had significant area for improvement. He stated that Frankfurt had benefited from an easier opening stretch in the Bundesliga against opponents that were either unfit or positioned in the lower portion of the league table, where mistakes were less damaging.
Pape pointed out that when Frankfurt committed those same errors during their EuroCup opener against Italian club Reyer Venezia in Venice, the team suffered a heavy defeat as a consequence.
Attendance figures and upcoming fixtures
The home win against Siauliai was considered a mandatory fixture for Frankfurt to stay competitive in the EuroCup and to generate greater interest among local fans. A crowd of 1,450 spectators attended the match at the Ballsporthalle on Tuesday evening, including a small group of traveling supporters from Lithuania.
Frankfurt will return to domestic league play on Sunday with a Bundesliga fixture against Hamburg. The team will then travel to England next week for their next EuroCup match against the London Lions.
Pape described the upcoming encounter in London as another must-win game, noting that the English club had also lost their opening EuroCup fixture against Siauliai. With further celebrations possible if Frankfurt continue winning, Perwas was advised to pack spare clothing for the trip.
