This will be a shock for the fans, but Frankfurt should not worry because they have very capable big men who can get the job done. Maras was injured this year and Bernd Kruel stepped up and did a nice job, filling the center position. Newcomer Hasan Özkan and Malick Badiane have developed remarkably and can give any opposing teams problems under the basket. "We like him a lot but he wanted to go. This will give other players like Bernd and me more playing time", says Badiane. Youngster Miro Todic is improving steadily and could see more playing time down the stretch. In some respect, losing Maras will help them gain more experience quickly, as the playoffs start to creep up slowly.
Next to captain Pascal Roller, Maras had been playing the longest in a Opel Skyliner uniform. He was the assistant captain and came to Frankfurt in 2000 from ALBA Berlin. He had a fine career in Frankfurt, playing in 162 games and scoring 1325 points and grabbing 796 rebounds. In the 2003-2004 championship season, he could only watch from the bench, because he sustained a cruciate ligament injury in December 2003. His injury misfortune continued in the 2004-2005 season, as he missed seven games due to a broken thumb. He is a two time allstar and has played in 44 international games for Germany.
Maras will be dearly missed by players and fans. "Of course it is a human loss for the team. Robert was an important part of the team. However, I respect his decision and would be happy if his visions about the departure come true", said captain Pascal Roller. Maybe the OPEL SKYLINERS will see him again next year in Euroleague action.
Miles Schmidt-Scheuber reporting for the OPEL SKYLINERS
