Victory took a long time to emerge. Facing a catchy Alsatian team, Antibes had to wait for the last tenth of the match to win (88-87) and validate their ticket for the final of the Pro B accession playoffs which will oppose them to ADA Blois, scorers of Vichy-Clermont in the other semi-final.
From the start of the match, Antibes and ASA went blow for blow and were rather offensive in a first quarter punctuated by cannon shots behind the arc of Benjamin Monclar for Antibes and Sofiane Briki and Anthony Racine (14 points) for the ASA well helped by Jérôme Cazenobe (10 points). It was even the latter, with only a handful of seconds remaining, who closed this first act with a magnificent 3-point shot to give his team an eight-unit lead at the start of the second quarter (20-28).
Left on the same bases, Antibes and Gries-Souffel continued their offensive festival always without the slightest downtime and the first to stall will be the ASA. By passing an 11-2 to their evening opponent, the Antibois were able to regain control of the match (20-28 then 31-30, 13 ‘). Julien Espinosa’s men got back to their heads and went back into battle drum beating to finally be neck and neck until half-time before yet another cannon shot was fired at the buzzer by the Lithuanian Dovydas Redikas to give his team a small point lead (46-47).
Sofiane Briki impressive, Benjamin Monclar decisive in the last quarter
Back from the locker room, the ASA marked time and conceded a 7-0 entry. A start that leaves something to be desired but which only lasted a few minutes for the Alsatians who got back on the right track and picked up the score. A habit in this meeting. Finally the score does not stop evolving, just like the lead. Status quo at the start of the money time (63-63, 30 ‘). As in match 1 and match 2, Antibes and ASA will then rely on their gunners with initially the trio Reginald Johnson (23 points), Benjamin Monclar (16 points) and Tim Derksen (20 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists for 24 evaluation) who sparked inside and behind the arc to offer a comfortable advantage of ten units to Antibois (79-69, 35 ‘). At that time, we would have thought that the Alliance Sport Alsace was not going to get up but with courage and with heart, the Alsatians, led by Sofiane Briki (25 points at 6/9 at 3-Points and 3 rebounds for 21 evaluation) and Strahinja Gavrilovic (16 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists for 24 evaluation) precious under the circle, will then begin a crazy comeback with three-pointers, each one more murderous than the other. others. Antibes seemed to hold its victory but the ASA made it tremble until the last moments (88-87).
