Julien Espinosa’s men are in Nanterre, this Tuesday evening, for the French Cup semi-final. The Antibes team, fighting to remain in Pro A, are 40 minutes away from facing Le Mans at the AccorHotelArena on April 22nd.
Impossible is not Antibes. Tonight, starting at 8 PM, at the Maurice-Thorez Sports Palace, the azure team plays much more than a game. Against the fourth-ranked league team, qualified for the semi-finals of the FIBA Europe Cup, Antibes has the opportunity to bring the blue and white fans to Bercy to contend in the French Cup final, a historic moment.
Between two choices…
But between a French Cup final and staying in the first division, the choice is easily made, you might say. The second option is on the minds of all the supporters. Option number 1 is rare in the life of a low-budget club, it would allow them to gain the confidence necessary to tackle the remaining 11 league games.
The good and the not so good
On Friday night, the Antibes team proved they could compete with one of the top teams in the league. Despite the 9-point defeat against Strasbourg, they competed for almost 35 minutes, offering an interesting offensive play and a defense that holds strong. Only two dry spells (0-7, 0-10) shattered the Sharks’ chances of victory, as they still lack consistency throughout the game. They can be brilliant (victory at Orleans) and disheartening (heavy loss against Cholet and at Limoges), demonstrating the paradox of a team with multiple faces that will soon introduce Chris Jones, the temporary replacement for Sharrod Curry (who left for Bucharest).
The Nanterre machine
On the Nanterre side, their form is assured. On Saturday, at Chalon-sur-Saone, the team from the Paris region lost after overtime despite a superb last quarter. Before this defeat, the greens were on a six-game winning streak in ProA. Better yet, last week, they gave a real demonstration in the FIBA Europe Cup against the Turks of USAK (110-82) thanks to 39 points from Butterfield (11/13 at 3-pointer).
The Nanterre squad hasn’t changed since the beginning of the season, and it shows. The team impresses and, taking turns, the players catch fire, whether in the paint or from the perimeter. Month after month, Pascal Donnadieu proves he is one of the best coaches in Pro A. Their aim is clear: to compete in a national final before dreaming of another European campaign.
A night where everything goes right?
The task for the Antibes team appears very complicated, but there is no certainty in basketball. A bad shooting night from long distance for the team from the Paris region, some rare success on the side of the azure team, and Antibes could achieve the upset of the season. With “if,” we could change the world and many basketball games…
Photo credit: official website of the Sharks Antibes
