The French basketball team continues its beautiful summer. After its four successes in preparation matches for the Eurobasket (September 1 to 18), the Blues dominated the Czech Republic (95-60) in the qualifying match for the 2023 World Cup, Wednesday August 24. They are still at the top of Group K with six wins in seven games.
In a warm atmosphere at the Accor Arena in Bercy, Vincent Collet’s players had a complicated first period. Out of long distance address and late on the defensive withdrawal, the Blues returned to the locker room led 38-42.
They were able to take advantage of a forced break – due to the off-centering of a basket which required a long technical intervention – to fly away on the return from the locker room. Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot and Guerschon Yabusele, 16 points each, carried the tricolor group offensively while behind, Rudy Gobert and Terry Tarpey ruled the law in the racket to stick a one-sided 57-18 in the second period.
“We are still under construction, we have experienced players who are not there but there is a great story to build”
Vincent Colletat the microphone of France Télévisions
“It was important to get this victory, even if we were a little soft at the start of the match”explained Yabusele at the microphone of France Télévisions after the meeting. “But we finished strong, it’s good, we adjusted but we mustn’t get used to that. We must continue to progress and start strong. We proved it, when we defend together, when we play together, we’re really, really hard to beat.”
A few seconds later, his coach Vincent Collet, transmitted more or less the same message: “We had a difficult start, they made us move. We were a little light defensively then we rectified the situation by being more aggressive, helping each other and being less impatient. This allows us to measure that he there is still a lot of work, we will continue to be ready against Germany on Thursday evening (September 1 for the start of the Euro). With a young group like this, it’s important to have those moments so you don’t get caught out on D-Day.”
The fact remains that eight days before the start of the continental competition, the Blues still store a little more confidence before challenging Bosnia and Herzegovina on Saturday (8 p.m.), still for the qualifications for the 2023 World Cup.