This success acquired in pain, Thursday in Vilnius (83-75), assures them the first place of the group and their ticket for the European championship organized in Israel and Slovenia.
The French women’s basketball team punched their ticket, not without difficulty. Thanks to their short success in Lithuania (83-75), Thursday February 9, the Blues validated their qualification for Eurobasket 2023, organized in Israel and Slovenia (June 15 to 25). They are guaranteed to finish in first place in their qualifying group even before the last day, Sunday, in Finland (2 p.m.).
Unlike the first leg, played in November 2021 (83-56), France was jostled for a long time by a Lithuanian team carried by their audience in Vilnius. It was only less than two minutes from the gong, on a final shot by Marines Johannès (21 points), that the Blues finally took shelter.
Lithuania never slaughtered
We thought Jean-Aimé Toupane’s players were heading for victory when they took off in the middle of the third quarter. The tricolor defense finally managed to impose its rhythm. Offensively, Gabby Williams increased the aggressiveness slider (17 points) for his return to selection after his absence through injury during the last qualifying window last November. In its wake, the French led by ten units (56-46, 27th).
It was without counting on the Lithuanian abnegation which, for the third time in the match, allowed the local players to come back on the heels of the Blues. However, they had already widened the gap twice in the first period. First in the first quarter (13-5, 6th), thanks to the address of Valériane Ayayi-Vukosavljevic (10 of his 13 points), then in the following period (28-19, 13th).
But each time, Lithuania managed to catch up with constant offensive aggression (27 free throws against 10 for France) and internal domination symbolized by Gintare Petronyte (17 points) and Laura Juskaite (13) .
A last match without stake
The essential is nevertheless assured for the France team which will not have reassured for all that. Usually frustrated in attack as much as she can be stifling in defense, she never managed to muzzle the young nugget of Asvel Juste Jocyte (15 points) and her compatriot Kamile Nacickaite (20).
Now without issue, the last qualifying meeting scheduled in Finland on Sunday will serve as a working basis for Jean-Aimé Toupane. History to turn already to Eurobasket.