Besançon's poor start to the season

The Besançon club (BesAC) is struggling in the National 1 masculine (NM1) league, with only one win in eight matches. The team is currently in 11th place in Pool A, tied with the last-place team, LYONSO, which has played one fewer match.

New signing to strengthen the roster

On Monday, November 2, BesAC announced the signing of Jacques Eyoum, a 26-year-old French forward, for the next three championship matches. His arrival is meant to compensate for the absences of two key players: team captain Charly Pontens, who is recovering from a calf injury, and Montavious Myrick, who is injured in the back.

Eyoum's role and impact

Jacques Eyoum is not a direct replacement for Charly Pontens, who plays as a point guard. Instead, Eyoum brings size and three-point shooting as a forward. Coach Laurent Kleefstra explained that the move aims to add defensive strength and shooting range to the team.

Backup for ball creation

To compensate for Pontens’ absence in ball creation, BesAC can rely on Claudien Eliezer-Vanerot, who is versatile enough to play as a point guard. This flexibility provides the team with options in its offensive strategy.

Eyoum's background and performance

Jacques Eyoum comes from a complete season in Boulogne-sur-Mer, where he played 41 matches in the NM1. He averaged 6.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game, with a 36.3% shooting percentage and 27.8% from three-point range.

Challenges in Pool A

Besançon is already far behind the top teams in Pool A. Loon-Plage leads with seven wins, followed by SCABB with six, while Boulogne-sur-Mer, Berck, and Mulhouse each have five wins in seven matches. BesAC has seven losses in eight matches and faces defensive issues, conceding an average of 86.6 points per game.

Upcoming match and expectations

BesAC’s next match is an away game in Orchies, where they will test the impact of Eyoum’s addition. The team hopes the new forward will provide the solutions needed to improve their performance and address the challenges they face in the league.