EuroBasket: against Bosnia, the Blues are doing well after a new scare

Facing Bosnia, the France team had a triple challenge: to win, to reassure themselves and to convince.

The first mission is accomplished, very difficult.

Already qualified for the round of 16 before kick-off, Vincent Collet's Blues took their revenge (81-68) on Bosnia-Herzegovina who had beaten them (96-90, ap) 10 days ago in qualifying match for the 2023 World Cup. “It was quite complicated because we let them come back but the defense is our strength.

We had too many stray bullets in attack but the most important thing is victory, ”says Guerschon Yabusele, at the microphone of Canal +360e.

To be reassured, it is half missed.

After a sluggish first quarter (19-19) to maintain bad habits, Evan Fournier's partners regained their momentum by tightening the bolts of the defense in the middle of the second quarter.

They reached the break with a comfortable 10-point lead.

Only at the start of the third period did the French fail to kill the match.

They let the Bosnians get back in the game (50-52, 30th) and scare them.

Fortunately for them, the innkeepers Evan Fournier, Rudy Gobert, Thomas Heurtel and Guerschon Yabusele put the Blues back in place so that they finally won quite well with a 13-point lead (81-68).

“We found a combative French team, welcomes Evan Fournier who has exceeded the bar of 1000 points scored in the French team.

We need to move forward in this area.

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– French Basketball Teams (@FRABasketball) September 6, 2022

As for convincing, let's wait a little longer.

The France team was better against the Bosnians than against the Hungarians (78-74) 48 hours earlier.

In this area, it was not too complicated.

But everything has not yet been absolutely perfect, far from it.

There were still some disturbing air pockets.

For France to still be fully convincing, let's wait to see them in the knockout matches.

This Tuesday, it was "only" Bosnia opposite even if the Bosnians have a very good team.

To find out what these Blues version 2022 have in their stomachs, if they are able to be European champions, we are waiting to see them against Greece, Serbia, Spain and Slovenia by Luca Doncic.

That's good: the Slovenians are expecting them from this Wednesday, September 7 (5:15 p.m., live on Canal +360e and BeInsport) for the last group match.

The Slovenians want to take their revenge even if this match lacks stakes.

They still haven't digested their defeat in the semi-finals of the Tokyo Olympics and Nicolas Batum's masterful counterattack.

After Slovenia, it will be a question of thinking about the round of 16 which will take place on Saturday and Sunday.

France will cross with group A which remains open and while waiting for the matches of the day and the end of the group stage, they could come across a very affordable opponent: Montenegro, Belgium or Turkey.

They can also inherit the formidable Spain which nevertheless plays on alternating current since the beginning of the Euro.

Belgium thus succeeded in beating them.

A priori, the Blues will have an 8th final within their reach.

Except that with these Blues there, you should never claim victory (easy) too quickly.