Three losses in three meetings.
This is the gloomy record of the French basketball team in its preparation for the Tokyo Olympics, which begin next Friday.
After two setbacks against Spain (86-77 in Malaga and 87-79 in Paris-Bercy), the Blues again bowed, before Japan this time (81-75), this Sunday, in Oshino (Japan ).
“We missed some good shots that we got and that changed the game for Japan.
This defeat is disappointing and frustrating.
We will have to hold back our start, which was far from the expected standards for the Olympic Games.
It's a reminder, a warning to be taken into account, ”underlined coach Vincent Collet.
The Blues lose 6 pts in the last preparation match for the Olympics against Japan: 75-81.
Beginning of the Olympic tournament, Sunday 25/07 against Team USA.
#TeamFranceBasket #JPNFRA pic.twitter.com/9XAv3ndqa6
- French Basketball Teams (@FRABasketball) July 18, 2021
Overtaken during the first two quarters (46-30 for Japan), the French erased 13 of their 16 points behind in the third quarter, even before coming back to height less than four minutes from the end ( 74-74).
But the teammates of Nicolas Batum (10 points and 5 assists) and Evan Fournier (16 points, top tricolor scorer) stammered their basketball too much, like thirteen ball losses and eight Japanese interceptions.
It did not take more for the locals, led by their NBA star and flag bearer of the delegation for the opening ceremony on July 23, Rui Hachimura (19 points), to win (81-75).
The last match against Italy canceled by the Japanese authorities
Vincent Collet's players were initially to face Italy again before starting the Games, but the match was canceled by the Japanese authorities, the Nazionale not having been allowed to go to Oshino, at a good hundred of kilometers west of Tokyo. The Blues therefore have one week left to settle the sights before they enter the Olympic tournament against the United States (July 25) in Tokyo.
