This time, there was no photo.
After qualifications torn off at the end of the suspense against Turkey (87-86 ap) and Italy (93-85 ap) in the previous rounds, the Blues made short work of Poland (95-54) this Friday, in the semi-finals of the EuroBasket.
A show of force for serious and (very) strong defensively.
A real wall and an almost perfect match against the Poles who were quickly overwhelmed.
The final is Sunday at 8:30 p.m.
TOPS
The Dancing Bear on Fire
Every game has its own MVP.
This Friday, it was the turn of Gerschon Yabusele, author of 22 points at 9/12 on shots, including 4/6 from afar, with 4 rebounds and 2 steals as a bonus.
Recital of the Real Madrid player, on a cloud.
“
Yes, but I try to stay on the ground, not to take the big head.
I try to help my teammates as much as possible in attack and defense, to be everywhere, to facilitate the work of my teammates.
Today was me.
My teammates really tried to find me
,” commented the former Boston player on
Canal+
.
Already valuable during last year's campaign at the Olympics, Yabusele, a real good pick at position 4.
Gobert was everywhere
Evan Fournier was right when he spoke of a Rudy Gobert in diesel mode.
The pivot of the Blues has clearly increased in power over the course of the competition, with very high level performances during the cleaver matches.
This time, however, he did not compile such impressive numbers, with 6 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocks in 19 minutes of play. But what an impact… We must also judge the match of the triple best defender in the NBA on everything which cannot be seen in the statistics, deterrence for example.
Great Gobert and it's reassuring in view of the final on Sunday.
Note that his comrades in position 5 also did good things.
Vincent Poirier (8 pts, 4 rbs, 3 pds) for example made good passages alongside Gobert, the Blues in twin towers mode.
Moustapha Fall (6 pts, 10 rbs, 5 pds,
Tarpey and Albicy, moths in action
Collet was right in entrusting Terry Tarpey and Andrew Albicy with a place in the five majors over the course of the competition.
Established in order to give balance to the French team through their defensive aggressiveness, the two players did well on Friday, locking for example Mateusz Ponitka (7 pts) who remained on an XXL performance against Slovenia in the quarter-finals ( 26 pts, 16 rbs, 10 pds).
8 points and 4 rebounds for the first, 3 points and 4 assists for the second.
If there is a number that allows you to take the full measure of their impact, it is the famous +/-: +20 for Tarpey, +24 for Albicy.
"
We did what we wanted to do, we limited their major players, AJ Slaughter and Ponitka, and it was an easier game, so that's cool.
For the spectators, it's better too,
“Smiles the former leader of Paris-Levallois.
Dogs.
Read alsoBasketball: impassable in defense, the Blues march on Poland and go to the final of the Euro
The Blues serious from start to finish
This time, no air gap, no voltage drop.
“
It's good to win without suffering, but above all it's a complete match from the first to the last minute.
Everyone was able to play, we were serious in attack and defense.
I don't remember several possessions in a row where we didn't play our game. It's positive for the final
,” summarizes captain Fournier.
Customer bonus, coach Collet was able to rest his executives at the end, just to arrive fresh on Sunday.
FLOPS
Poland not at the level
Surprise guest of this last four, Poland could not do anything.
With 32% in shots, half as many rebounds captured (40 for the Blues, 21 for the Poles), 16 ball losses (as much as the French) and 67% in throws, Aaron Cel and his teammates had no chance facing the tricolor machine.
“
We showed another face against Slovenia, we were carried by the magic of basketball and we beat a magnificent Slovenian team… But France showed an exceptional face, in attack and in defense
”, analyzes the Franco-Polish, native of Orléans and passed through Le Mans, Brest, Boulazac and Monaco.
And to add: "
France will be favorites in the final
“, whether against Germany or Spain.
May the basketball gods hear it… 41 points difference in half of the Euro?
A record.
The previous one dated back to 1963 with the 38-point gap of the USSR against Hungary (89-51).
“TLC” at fault, discreet Fournier
Quite frankly, there isn't really a flop after such a show of collective strength.
Everyone played, everyone scored, everyone contributed.
Like at the school of fans, everyone won in the ranks of an impressive French team of seriousness and solidity.
We have not yet mentioned the 6 assists of Thomas Heurtel, the good impression left by Elie Okobo (10 pts) or the impact of Amath M'Baye (8 pts).
Evan Fournier (10 pts, 4 wt) did not have to force his talent, he who left the status of best tricolor scorer to Yabusele at the Euro (15 points against 14.4).
The usual offensive leader of the Blues reserves perhaps his best match for the final.
We can nevertheless say that Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot was still a little lower.
The NBAer finished with 4 1/4 points and 2 losses in 19 minutes.
Above all, he took 5 faults.
His +/- at +19 and his 3 interceptions show, however, that you have to be fussy to talk about a real flop.
