Defeated narrowly last week by Le Mans (76-80), the Antibes Sharks are heading to Nanterre, who have been blowing hot and cold since the start of the season. Antibes will have to be wary of the reaction from the European champion (C3 Eurochallenge) four days after a significant setback in the EuroCup.
Who would have thought, after eight rounds, that Antibes would be playing in the same league as Strasbourg, Limoges, or even Le Mans? Very few people. The national basketball reference magazine, Basket Hebdo, even predicted an 18th and last place for Julien Espinosa’s team. The Azuréens have been proving the experts wrong since the start of the season with five wins and three losses.
Those darn free throws…
Last Friday, the Antibes team experienced their first defeat at their Azur Arena fortress against the solid MSB team. Despite a poor first half, the Sharks closed the gap and then took the lead. In the final moments, they faltered. With only 50% success at the free-throw line (13/26), Antibes missed the opportunity.
A scratchy Antibes away from home
A deserved provisional fifth place for the ProB playoff winner from last season. And if you look closer at their away performances, positive is the recurring word. The Sharks only lost by 9 points at Strasbourg (71-62) and by 14 at Lyon-Villeurbanne (83-69) after very close matches. Three weeks ago, they allowed themselves the luxury of dismissing Le Havre 84-81 thanks to a buzzer-beater from Will Solomon.
Nanterre has seen better days
Defeated 83-52 in the EuroCup by Bilbao on Tuesday, JSF Nanterre will be eager to respond. The Nanterre team has been less flamboyant this season, with a roster shaken up during the offseason. Sure, key players TJ Campbell, Mykal Riley, and Mam Jaiteh have stayed, but the first two have been inconsistent. Campbell, the point guard, averages 9 points and 3 assists compared to 11 and 5 in 2014-2015. The unpredictable Riley sticks to his standards but can score 25 points (at Dijon) or just 6 (at Paris-Levallois).
Exciting matchups within the match
There’s no doubt that this game will feature some very interesting duels. TJ Campbell will face the “King” Will Solomon in a battle of talented point guards. At the small forward position, shooters Hugo Invernizzi and Paul Carter could exchange blows. Finally, in the paint, watch out for the clashes: Mitchell-Blue and Jaiteh-Mitchell-Fall.
With a victory, Antibes would move a step closer to the Leaders Cup (early February at DisneyLand). As for Nanterre, a fourth win would help the club continue its climb up the standings.
Photo Credit: Sharks Antibes
