Last successful test for Vincent Collet’s men before the start of the Euro. The France team won 90-71, Thursday August 18, at the Sud de France Arena in Montpellier, against the Belgians, in a friendly match. After being dominated in the first quarter (24-19), the Blues of Evan Fournier, Olympic vice-champions in Tokyo, took control as soon as the restart and then took off in the score. Throughout the match , the Blues settled in attack and consolidated their defense.
4/4
Perfect preparation of the Blues, let the serious things begin #TeamFranceBasket | #PassionatelyBlue | #FRABEL pic.twitter.com/mj7cn5mfMi
– French basketball teams (@FRABasketball) August 18, 2022
With 53% of achievement on shots (30/56), the Blues aimed for consistency at the two points 19/30 (63%), against 40% (11/27) for the Belgians. The Habs, stronger and more precise than their Belgian neighbors, were carried by a man, Thomas Heurtel. The Biterrois leader scored 13 points (2 rebounds) and made 6 assists. At his side, Evan Fournier completed the pair by scoring 12 points (5 rebounds).
The start of the match, under pressure from the Belgians, did not please Evan Fournier. “We started a little softly. We can’t afford to do that. We are the France team, we have a status. We are coming out of big Olympics. The teams are hungry against us and that’s normal. European championships, there are no small teams, and in pool we are going to have great matches, and we have to start them better. Afterwards, we wear them out, but over the duration of ‘a European championship is where you need to start well’, reacted the rear of the Blues, mixed, despite the victory.
For him, this difficult start is in particular the consequence of a form of “loosening” after the great victory of the Blues against Italy two days ago, and an accumulation of “fatigue” after a “cycle” intense eight days of preparation.
After their easy victory against the Netherlands, then their round-trip victory against the Italians, the Blues therefore go on without fail in their preparation for the Euro, and gain confidence. Before the start of European competition (September 1 to 18, 2022), the French team will not have time to cool down with two qualifying matches for the World Cup, first against the Czech Republic on August 24 then against Bosnia and Herzegovina three days later.