Antibes took Nantes down 81-73 on Friday night in a Pro B fixture that settled one way or another. The hosts finished ahead despite sitting 15th in the table, while Nantes dropped to seventh after their 38th game of the season. It was a result that extended Antibes' recent resilience, though the gap between them in the standings remained wide.
By then, the match had already turned on its head. Nantes came in looking to build on their 22 wins this season, but Antibes sat deep and soaked it up in the opening quarters. And here's the thing — they didn't need to outshoot anyone. They just needed to outlast the visitors' rhythm, which began to fray around the middle period.
To be fair, Nantes had their moments. They pushed the tempo and came close to pulling away, but every time they reached for a lead, Antibes answered with a run of their own. The visitors missed too many easy looks in the final twenty minutes, and the home side took advantage. It wasn't pretty, but it was enough.
We had called this one — a home win, with 52 per cent confidence. Not a bold prediction, but the kind that comes from watching how these teams respond under pressure. Antibes have nothing to lose at 15th, and Nantes carry the weight of expectation. This time, the weight told on the visitors.
Recent form tells the story too. Nantes lost two of their last three against Poitiers, while Antibes beat La Ravouar-Chal 85-79 just over a fortnight ago. The momentum had shifted, if only slightly. The draw brought them together early in the season; the result now keeps them apart in spirit, even if not yet in the table.
The final margin of eight points says nothing about how close it felt. Nantes finished with more shots in the air, but Antibes took the ones that mattered. It wasn't a spectacle, not by any stretch. But it was a win, and sometimes that is all you need.
