They started by doing things in order.
First and foremost, get back to the right place and on the road to success.
Three days after its disappointing entry against Japan (74-70 defeat), the France team did not miss a second time in a row.
Forced to win against Nigeria so as not to put their head in the return plane even before the third group match, the vice-champions of Europe did the job this Friday at the Saitama Super Arena (87- 62).
"We had prepared for a fight, a fight, more than a beautiful basketball game," explains Marine Johannes.
We were ready for that.
The loss to Japan, of course, was hard to digest because we wanted to win our first two games.
We knew we had to react and we did it as a team, as we wanted.
"
After three long minutes of adjusting sights to wonder who would succeed in registering the first points of the meeting, the Blue have, as a harbinger of what was to follow, taken the lead on the scoreboard.
In a match where combat and engagement prevailed, the French quickly responded to the call in defense, leaving more suspense on the final gap than on the identity of the winner.
“When you lose, you have to question yourself, explains Alix Duchet to support the French alarm clock.
We knew we had to leave all together.
We did the job, I'm very proud of everyone, the players, the team, the staff.
But we know that the work is not finished.
We must get back to it and prepare for a new fight on Monday against the United States.
"
"We have already started to make a dossier on the United States"
Because if they have found success and hope, the Habs, however, still have no serious prospect for the future. The best way to get it and ensure a one-way ticket to the quarter-finals is indeed to take the example of Evan Fournier and his gang and beat the United States, Monday, in the last group match (6:40 a.m. French). A delightful idea, but not so easy to implement, the six-fold Olympic champions not having lost a match on the international scene since 2006.
“We have already started to make a file on the United States, explains the French coach Valérie Garnier.
We will see how we can approach this match.
We can only respond to the challenge if we put the same commitment, the same will and the same values as against Nigeria.
Our will is to win or lose it by the smallest possible gap.
We will have to play 4 four-quarter games and each time be as close as possible to the United States.
"
Without a feat, only a defeat by the smallest of gaps, would indeed allow the Blue to win one of the two qualifying places allocated to the best third.
"But if Nigeria had the good idea to make a result against Japan, that would do us a proud service", quips Valérie Garnier.
See you Monday.
