Probably the fittest professional in the basketball Bundesliga
Bayreuths Ahmed Hill
Source: pa/Eibner-Pressefoto/Marcus Foerster
Basketball pro Ahmed Hill is playing the game of his life in Frankfurt. Not only the Bayreuther’s 37 points are remarkable, Hill doesn’t rest for a second and plays through the entire game. His fitness secret is simple.
Dthis man just doesn’t need a break. Ahmed Hill could do what he wanted – the ball landed in the basket. The American hit everything in the game in Frankfurt and led Bayreuth to their first away win of the season with 37 points. Hill sank eight of ten threes, hit all four two-pointers and never missed a free throw. Bayreuth celebrated a 113:107 in the relegation thriller and above all the towering Hill.
“In terms of scoring, I’d say it was the best game of my pro career. It was my best offensive game since my high school days,” says Hill in an interview with WELT. Much more remarkable than his personal record in the basketball Bundesliga is his stamina: The 28-year-old played through in Frankfurt. He didn’t sit on the bench for a second to catch his breath. While 30 minutes of playing time is already above average in the league, Hill played 40 minutes without a breather. A sensational energy performance that didn’t go completely unnoticed by him.
“It hurt a bit, but thanks to our coaches and our physiotherapists from PT3, it wasn’t that bad. They took extra time for us for additional treatments and massages. I had an appointment Tuesday morning and was ready for practice in the afternoon,” says Hill.
“The fittest athlete on my team”
In the home defeat against Chemnitz (86:102) a week ago, Hill played the entire distance. This is necessary primarily because of Bayreuth’s plight of injuries. In Frankfurt coach Mladen Drijencic used only eight players. He couldn’t do without Hill for a second in either game. Where others would have given up, the American turned up the heat again. In Frankfurt, of course, he scored the last two points of the game.
Hill’s fitness secret? “Just work. I’ve always been a worker and one of, if not the, fittest athlete on my team. Simply to stay healthy, you should treat your body well. Do what is good for you and just stick with it.”
With the outstanding performance in Frankfurt, Hill extended Bayreuth’s fight for survival in the Bundesliga. A defeat and relegation would have been sealed. After the away win, the Upper Franconians can continue to dream of staying up in the league for 431 days. Already this Wednesday (7 p.m.) we are going against Heidelberg. Bayreuth needs another Hill in top form to claim the second win in a row. The fact that there are only three days between games doesn’t bother him – this man simply doesn’t need a break.