Another small victory against Brazil on Saturday or Puerto Rico on Sunday and voila. By offering the head of Australia (72-63) in Bourges, Thursday, February 6, during the first day of the Olympic Games Qualification Tournament (TQO), the French basketball players have taken a serious option towards Tokyo.
While this four-day event does not bode well for extreme difficulty (three out of four teams will go to Japan), it is nevertheless an opportunity to impress just over six months from the Games. A successful TQO also means making things easier in Japan, since its results will be taken into account in the world ranking. A classification which will serve as the basis for the group draw.
French basketball players, silver medalists in London in 2012 and fourth in Rio in 2016, therefore have a boulevard… And they also showed very beautiful things. The Blues were particularly smart in the management of Australia’s main weapon, Liz Cambage (2.03m), limited to 19 points and forced early enough to accumulate the faults.
Gruda Eclipse Cambage
By attacking with insane speed, the French have completely cut off the defensive folds of the giant, playing perfectly with the cat and the mouse. When the tall Australian woman rested, the French also took the opportunity to accelerate, leading three points at the end of the first quarter (14-11).
Then Marine Johannès, twice, and Diandra Tchatchouang put on three award-winning baskets without response to take a step ahead (23-11). And when the “Aussies” returned, Bria Hartley took over the game. With mastery, the back of the Blue succeeded three incursions to restore six points ahead (36-30 at the break).
Australia pulls together in the third quarter: no problem. Hartley is the one who sticks to it, this time at three points, to calm the ardor of the vice world champions (46-39).
Applied in attack, in the wake of a skillful Johannès (12 points), and relentless in defense and rebounds, the French then held out. With her 16 points, Sandrine Gruda even overshadowed Cambage. The frustrated and tired Australian star couldn't do anything. With Gruda, Hartley and Johannès, the danger came from everywhere.
"Enjoy this moment"
"We learned a lot tonight, said Sandrine Gruda after this success. It’s very important for the future. For us, it was important to play the way we wanted to play. We’re a young team and it’s sometimes difficult to stay focused for 40 minutes. ” added the French interior.
"I can only be satisfied. They have admirably applied the changes in defensive intensity ", appreciated Valérie Garnier, the Bleues coach. "In the locker room, I told them to enjoy this moment. We managed to outwit the Australians, " she added.
It therefore remains to finish the job as quickly as possible. However, it will be wary on Saturday of Brazilian revenge, surprised by the players of Puerto Rico at the opening of the TQO (91-89 a.p.).
