With the signing of Mouphtaou Yarou on Friday night, the Sharks have completed their roster, and the transfer window is now closed. The ProA championship begins in less than three weeks with a home game against the finalist, Strasbourg.
And with the fourth arrival, the Antibes transfer window comes to a close. In search of the starting center for weeks, the Antibes staff have set their sights on the Beninese player Mouphtaou Yarou (27 years old, 2.05m), a former Le Mans player. The position 5 is a colossus who has shone for three seasons in ProA. The 2015-2016 season will be remembered as the best of his career so far, with an average of 10 points and 11 rebounds in 29 minutes of play. A better defender than Chris Otule, he will bring experience and might form an explosive duo with Tim Blue.
Not the simplest period
It’s been a month now since the Sharks resumed training, still under the direction of Julien Espinosa assisted by Marc Berjoan. The preparation is long, and the Antibes team often doubles the sessions. On the schedule: one group in the gym, accompanied by a fitness coach, while the second group practices set plays.
The first training sessions have hinted at some promising signs, exemplified by Paul Rigot (position 3), who arrived this summer from Monaco. The 22-year-old has shown himself to be very active and accurate. Another good impression comes from Vincent Sanford, who is already comfortable alongside Jerel Blassingame.
First outings failed
After four defeats in as many games (against Hyères-Toulon, Limoges, Charleroi, and Boulazac), the Sharks return home with three games on the schedule to conclude the pre-season. Objective: tirelessly repeat the offensive and defensive systems. The defensive sector, in particular, has been problematic, with 88 points conceded to CSP and 91 to Charleroi. The Sharks will finish their friendly matches by playing HTV a second time, then continue with hosting the neighboring Monaco team and a short trip to Italy to play Casale.
