” Thanks thanks thanks ! » In French in the text, several hundred Lithuanian supporters let their joy burst into the Cologne arena. As the final seconds ticked away, the outcome of the game was no longer in doubt, to their delight. By winning Tuesday, September 6, against Bosnia and Herzegovina (81-68), in the fourth match of the Euro, the French men’s basketball team kept the Baltic nation’s hopes of qualification intact. The Blues, who have been mistreating the Lithuanians for nine years in all competitions, appreciated. “It’s the first time in the competition that the crowd is with us”, savored the leader Thomas Heurtel; so fervent Baltic fans have obliterated the fiery supporters of the Bosnians.
Lithuanian fans chanting ‘thank you’ and it’s the most #EuroBasket 2022 thing you could expect. 🇫🇷🤝🇱🇹 https://t.co/FcRYdFs1wD
Beaten ten days ago by Bosnia and Herzegovina in qualifying for the next World Cup (90-96 after two extensions), a few days before the start of the Euro, the Blues had a revengeful spirit. Rudy Gobert’s partners also had to be forgiven for an unsuccessful performance against Hungary on Sunday – victory on the wire, against the opponent presumed to be the weakest in the group. Opposed to an opponent of another caliber, the France team did not miss the meeting on Tuesday. “We had a really serious match”welcomed the coach, Vincent Collet, after the meeting.
Faced with Bosnians surfing on their success at the end of August and euphoric in the competition after their victory on Sunday against the Slovenians, holders of the trophy, the French knew they were expected. “Maybe we gave them confidence and they are still excited about their victory against us, but it will have to stop one day”warned leader Andrew Albicy on Monday.
“A mark of maturity”
A message heard by all. “All the players who entered the field brought something”, greeted Rudy Gobert. Carried by Thomas Heurtel and their captain, Evan Fournier, clumsy at first but decisive in the last quarter, the French “progressed”, believes their pivot. Incidentally, Fournier became the 25e player in history to cross the symbolic thousand points bar with the blue jersey.
Very diligent in defense from one end of the game to the other, the Blues prevented Jusuf Nurkic’s partners from deploying their game. “We are still the best defense in our group, pointed out Vincent Collet on Monday. On the other hand, we are the last attack. We clearly know that where we need to improve the most is offensively. » As an echo of his remarks being prepared, where the French coach assured that the “offensive site [était] even more important » than that in defense in this private group of veterans Nando De Colo and Nicolas Batum – excused for the competition -, transmission belts of the tricolor attack for years.
After the game, Collet praised his group’s progress, “more serious and consistent”, including in attack. Even when, at the end of the third quarter, the Blues no longer found the target. A slump of more than six minutes which allowed the Bosnians to briefly pass them from the start of the final period, cheering up the noisy fans of the Balkan country. Without losing their calm, the French took control, never to let go. “There were times when we really could have lost our minds, and I’m proud of the way we kept our control, greeted pivot Rudy Gobert. Whatever happens, we continued to play, and it’s a mark of maturity. »
Reunion with Slovenia on Wednesday
After four games played in the competition – three wins and one defeat – the Blues do not yet show the same certainties of the silver medalist team at the last Olympic Games and bronze medalist at the 2019 World Cup. But as against Lithuania ( victory 77-73), they delivered a serious end-to-end performance on Tuesday and benefited from another fine performance from the surprise Terry Tarpey. Unknown to the general public – and some of his NBA teammates – before the competition, the Le Mans winger continued his high-flying competition, setting the pace in defense and even offering himself a counter-attacking dunk at the end party following an interception, triggering the ola of the Lithuanian supporters who came to support the Blues.
“If we play again [la Lituanie] later, not sure that, there, they will say thank you to us”, smiled Rudy Gobert. Before thinking about the round of 16 and the rest of the competition – which will take place in Berlin from Saturday – the French have an appointment on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. with Slovenia of the virtuoso Luka Doncic. An opponent that the Blues had beaten last year, in the semi-finals of the Tokyo Olympics, thanks to a decisive counterattack in the dying seconds of Nicolas Batum – absent at the Euro.
A “big test against a very big team”, according to the French pivot, without much stake – the two teams being qualified – if not to define the final classification of group B, and the potential opponents in the round of 16. But for these Blues, who are building their team little by little, Slovenia will be an opportunity to continue their rise to power. “We are not at our best level, we can do better, but we want to use these games to reach our best level. And if we reach it, we can hit everyone”concludes Evan Fournier.
