“It’s probably the craziest scenario I’ve ever seen.” The Blues came close to corrections and coach Vincent Collet admitted it bluntly after the match. After narrowly snatching the extension, France finally dismissed the Turkish obstacle (86-87), Saturday, September 10, in Berlin (Germany), in the round of 16 of the Eurobasket. In the quarter-finals, it will be opposed to Serbia or Italy on Wednesday.
Five years after the hopeless elimination against Germany in the round of 16 of the last European championship, the French did not want to relive the same scenario against a supposedly weaker opponent. Second in their group but deprived of their leader Shane Larkin, Turkey almost played a bad trick on the France team.
It came down to a final interception from Terry Tarpey III three seconds from the end of overtime, and above all a decisive tap-dunk from Rudy Gobert at the end of regulation time while Turkey had the opportunity to conclude (77-77, 40th). “I thought it was over at some point, admitted Rudy Gobert at the microphone of Canal + Sport 360. When we had extra time, we knew it was going to be five minutes of combat.
BASKETBALL IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SPORT IN THE WORLD
Direction the Top 8 for the Blues #TeamFranceBasket | #PassionatelyBlue | #EuroBasket | #FRATURE pic.twitter.com/bJPYnQXz1C
– French basketball teams (@FRABasketball) September 10, 2022
The new pivot of the Minnesota Timberwolves put his words into action by dominating overtime to lead the Blues to victory (5 points and 5 rebounds over the period, 20 and 17 in total). “We survived, we really had the game in hand and we put ourselves in a position where we play badly and we give them confidence”regretted Evan Fournier after the success.
With these words, the captain of the Blues, particularly frustrated offensively (13 points at 5/13, 4 lost balls), obviously thought of this third quarter almost fatal to his team. While the Habs had started the match perfectly (31-15, 14th), thanks to an iron defense and internal domination, a first alert at the end of the first period could have warned them (40-35, 20th).
Because lightning fell on the heads of Thomas Heurtel’s teammates (13 points, 7 assists and 5 lost balls) in the third quarter. Eight minutes without a single point and a Bugrahan Tuncer on a cloud (22 points at 6/10 from three-pointers) allowed Turkey to inflict a terrible 19-0 on the Blues (from 49-38 to 49-57) . “Dn the third quarter, we went back to our faults. We had no more rhythm in attack, we defended less hard”retorted Vincent Collet at a press conference.
MIRACLE IN BERLIN
Incredible end to the match in Berlin where the French team won in extra time 87 to 86 after a crazy scenario#TURFRA@EuroBasket @FRABasketball @CanalplusSport pic.twitter.com/HEbNC6MWhs
– CANAL+ Sport (@CanalplusSport) September 10, 2022
In this air hole, and even throughout the match, the French have again multiplied the loss of balls. “Is Nyour eternal sin since the beginning of this tournament. This weakness is really a hard-to-bear vulnerability, especially in a cleaver match, Vincent Collet got annoyed at a press conference. It has to stop because there can’t be a sequel, regardless of the opponent. It comes from a lack of discipline.”
That of Evan Fournier, his foot in touch 24 seconds from the end of regulation time while the Turks were still leading by two points (77-75), almost cost a lot of money. Since the start of the tournament, these lost balls have symbolized the flaws in the tricolor attacking game. On Saturday, the 21 lost munitions were logically paid for on the other side of the field (36 points for Turkey on the loss of French bullets).
“We’re getting out of it. The loss of balls hurt us, we have to fix that”, hammered Evan Fournier after qualifying. The higher the level, the more the management of the ball will be predominant. In the quarter-finals, Serbia or Italy will not forgive the French. The Olympic vice-champions have two days to find solutions.