EuroBasket: thanks to a great Evan Fournier, the Blues revive against Lithuania

The Blues have but they get by.

Jostled from the start by Lithuania, Vincent Collet's men managed to put an end to the bleeding before the end of the first quarter to engage in a fierce elbow-to-elbow that lasted until at the end of the fourth round.

The French finally won 77 to 73 and officially launched their Euro after their bitter defeat Thursday evening against Germany at the start of the competition.

We had to go get this one 👊

First victory for the Blues at @EuroBasket 💪#TeamFranceBasket |

#PassionatelyBlue |

#EuroBasket |

#LTUFRA pic.twitter.com/VRPenG0kyN

– French Basketball Teams (@FRABasketball) September 3, 2022

Last in Group B at the start of the match, Evan Fournier's band temporarily climbed the group podium while awaiting the result of the match between Slovenia and Hungary.

She has an appointment on Sunday evening against this same Hungarian team to confirm her return to form and get closer to qualifying for the round of 16.

What you must remember

Vincent Collet's men were picked from the kick-off by one of the great European nations of the orange ball.

Lithuania managed to lead by 12 points in the first quarter before Evan Fournier sounded the revolt with a three point to come back to 21-15.

The French found their rhythm in the last five minutes of this first round with increased defensive discipline and a few quick attacks.

They end the first quarter with a deficit of only two points (25-23) and a bench which largely contributed to their recovery with 10 points scored.

France capitalizes on this burst from the start of the second round and quickly recovers to 28-28.

The teams are engaged in a fierce battle and it takes a superb floater from Grigonis plus a foul to restore a 5-point lead to the Lithuanians four minutes from half-time.

A few seconds later, the Lithuanian winger planted a three-point basket to stun the French a little more but the latter remained in contact thanks to a fine breakthrough from Andrew Albicy and free throws converted by Moustapha Fall and Rudy Gobert.

France is now only a small point behind at half-time: 41-40 for Lithuania.

The Lithuanians take revenge as soon as they return to the court with a three-pointer, but the French have definitely entered their match and are making good interceptions and taking precious rebounds.

Yabusele offered a three-pointer to make it 46-45 before Terry Tarpey finally gave the Blues the lead.

The Blues see themselves already arrived and relax.

Lithuania took the opportunity to finish this third round with a six-point lead.

Terry Tarpey 📈 #TeamFranceBasket x @Taarpey |

#PassionatelyBlue |

#EuroBasket |

#LTUFRA pic.twitter.com/pWp2Xd1Rqc

– French Basketball Teams (@FRABasketball) September 3, 2022

It is indeed this fourth quarter that will decide the fate of this meeting.

Rudy Gobert managed two free throws to start this final round well but Butkevicius scored a three-pointer which calmed the French spirits.

Vincent Poirier takes a nice offensive rebound to come back to 58-54.

The Blues persist and Terry Tarpey lands a magnificent shot behind the line to equalize at 60-60.

The elbow-to-elbow resumes even more and leans again in favor of the Blues.

After an equalizer from Yabusele, Evan Fournier delivers his fourth three-point basket of the game to allow the Blues to lead 67 to 64.

Terry Tarpey brought the gap to five points then Heurtel to seven points just two minutes from the final whistle.

Satisfied behind the line, Evan Fournier now enters the racket and places a floater that hurts Lithuanians in distress.

The latter are then knocked out by a dunk from Rudy Gobert which practically seals the victory of the French.

Practically because the Lithuanians come back to 74-72 thanks to a furtive three-pointer from Paulius Jankunas: there are still 13 seconds left on the clock.

Evan Fournier takes responsibility again and goes for the Lithuanian foul to get free throws and converts one.

Rudy Gobert imitates him in the dying seconds of the game to secure the victory for the French.

In an unbreathable end to the match, the Blues finally won 77-73.

Player: Evan Fournier

It was he who launched in the match of the Blues who seemed to be back on the bases of the match against Germany thanks to a three-point basket.

It will not be his last of the meeting.

The French winger will shine in the exercise and score four times behind the line and very often in crucial moments like this basket which allows his team to lead 67-64 with three short minutes from the final whistle. .

Above all, the French number 10 distinguished himself by his leadership and his numerous advice given to the young shoots of the selection.

The Knicks player is finally starting his Euro and that's great news for the Blues.

The number: 27

This is the number of points scored by Evan Fournier against Lithuania.

It's simple, the winger's baskets represent more than one out of three French points.

A performance that contrasts completely with his poor performance against Germany two days earlier.

Thursday evening, the Knicks player had left the court with only 7 small points on the clock.

The phrase :

“We have to be like this all the time.

We missed our start to the Euro against Germany but it's only the start of the competition.

We have confidence in ourselves and that's how we should play (…) We are much more aggressive.

We got off to a bad start but those who returned gave energy to the five majors (…) It's only one match, we still have three big ones to play.

We are happy with this victory which makes us feel good, ”said Andrew Albicy at the microphone of Canal + a few seconds after the final whistle.

Albicy: "we are much more aggressive in the game" 💪👊@EuroBasket @FRABasketball @CanalplusSport 🏀 pic.twitter.com/exMQPsLqIG

– CANAL + Basket (@CanalplusBasket) September 3, 2022