Defeated by Chalon-sur-Saône after leading by 10 points, Antibes is more threatened than ever by Orléans and Nancy in the fight to stay in the league. Against their Var rivals, the Sharks must not falter if they hope to return to winning ways.
This time, the orange alert has turned into a deep orange alert. Yes, the Sharks are in a (very) bad patch and see Orléans and Nancy catching up rapidly in their rearview mirror… And Julien Espinosa’s men can only blame themselves. Against Strasbourg, Dijon, or Chalon, the Azureans played beautiful basketball, staying close or leading (+10) before collapsing. For 4 to 6 minutes, the Antibes team does not respond and pays dearly for their “rough patches.” As many points lost as hopes of victories.
A new player for a revival?
Since Morris Curry’s departure (to Bucharest), the Sharks have lacked a leader at the playmaker position. And Will Solomon has been hot and cold since his return from injury. This Friday night in Hyères, they will be able to count on their latest recruit, Jarel Blassingame, an experienced 35-year-old point guard. He should bring scoring (an average of 12 points in Croatia and Poland), calm, and experience, things that Chris Jones, who arrived out of shape, has not yet provided.
The Var team is slipping
Since February 4th and the reception of Orléans, Kyle Milling’s men have not known victory. HTV has experienced seven consecutive defeats, but not all should be lumped together. At Pau and Gravelines, the Var team came close to pulling off an upset. Better yet, against Monaco, they staged a spectacular comeback before falling apart in the final moments of the match. A second half that did not go unnoticed.
Beware of the dangers
The locals are in 14th place in the standings, with a two-win lead over Antibes and therefore the red zone, but can rely on their young talent, David Michineau, capable of catching fire at any time. The two power forwards, Evans and Simpson, have had encouraging games, and the newcomer, Paul Carter, is well-known at the Antibes club. Indeed, the player who was playing in Australia for much of the season, made a name for himself at Antibes last year.
In the first leg, Antibes won by a single point (75-74) on a confusing final action, which was analyzed on video (3 points converted to 2 points). To ensure their survival, HTV needs one or two victories. To avoid a catastrophic outlook, Antibes must taste victory again. A derby that promises to be heated.
