opposed to the Czechs at Bercy, the Blues aim to “rise in power” before the Euro

One game, two stakes. But the heads already turned towards Germany. Gathered since July 29, the Blues of basketball begin the last phase of their preparation before the Euro (September 1-18). After four wins (89-65 against the Netherlands, 78-77ap and 100-68 against Italy, 90-71 against Belgium), they challenge this Wednesday (8:30 p.m.), in Bercy, the Czech Republic. A team which will not be one of the favorites in the European championship and is deprived of its leader Tomas Satoransky, but which finished sixth at the 2019 World Cup in China. Danger ? “When left unrolled, they can play basketball very well. It’s up to us to break the timings. We took 30 points in the first quarter against them at the Olympics (28 in fact, Editor’s note), but afterwards, we had tightened the noose and we had ended up making them lose their Latin. It will be necessary to avoid the same departure but to expect that they can oppose a real resistance. It’s a good team“Swears Vincent Collet, national coach.

That’s good. Because as Evan Fournier noted in Montpellier“it’s not a gift when you win too easily in preparation. What awaits us at the Euro will be very tough. I hope that the two upcoming matches, especially against the Czechs, will allow us to have a big opposition. It will be a good test for us“, has indicated the new tricolor captain.

Unique mix of genres

Except that this match is not only a test for the Euro. It is also a qualifying match for the 2023 World Cup. The calendar is thus made… It will be the same for the one which awaits the French in Bosnia and Herzegovina in three days. “It’s really weird“Blowed Collet at the start of the preparation about this unique mix of genres. “All the teams at the Euro are housed in the same boat, we do with“, he added on Tuesday, recalling also that the objective is both to qualify for the World Cup as quickly as possible, but also to take care of the Fiba ranking, which could allow the France team to depart as the top seed next year in Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines (August 25 to September 10, 2023). Bronze medalists in 2019 and silver at the Olympics last year, the Blues are fourth. And Collet to complete:These are also preparation matches“.

Read alsoBasketball: “It was hard and frustrating”, says Albicy, “happy” to find the Blues before the Euro

Remember that the French basketball team will arrive in Germany as ambitious as they wish despite the (very) tough competition that awaits them. Fournier and company are aiming for gold, but Greece, Slovenia, Serbia, Spain and Lithuania are also in the starting blocks. A French team deprived of Nicolas Batum and Nando de Colo, absent this yearbut also of Frank Ntilikina and Victor Wembanyama, packages. For now, Moustapha Fall is also in the infirmaryeven if a return is “considered“says Boris Diaw. That of Andrew Albicy is recorded, even if he will not play this Wednesday.

We have the means to assume these objectives, but under conditions. These conditions must be respected. What we were unable to do in 2017 and what we will try to do much better in 2022.

Vincent Collet

Still, this group is young, relatively inexperienced. Be careful not to be intoxicated by a few cards in preparation, like the bitter failure of Euro 2017, the first tournament after Tony Parker, after a sometimes brilliant preparation. “Our defensive base must be really there, which was not the case in 2017, and we must perform better in terms of cohesion. We have to reinvent our collective and that everyone is in their place, it’s decisive. If we succeed, we have the qualities to be one of the strong teams of the Euro“, judge coach Collet, ensuring to use the 2014 World Cup – third place despite the absences of “TP” and De Colo – as “source of inspiration» and noting that «the justice of the peace will be the competition“. And to continue:We are in a country where things are normalized very quickly. The French team won bronze in 2019 and silver in 2021, we consider that it will be the same in 2022. No. It will be necessary to deserve, with a reconstituted team. We have the means to assume these objectives, but under conditions. These conditions must be respected. What we couldn’t do in 2017 and what we will try to do much better in 2022“.

Charge these Blues to continue to work in the little time they have left. Starting with this Wednesday. “It’s a match that should allow us to continue working and gaining momentum. Every training, every game, we always see it as an opportunity to progress“, underlines Gobert, vice-captain of the France team this summer, slipping that”it’s weird to be one of the oldest in the team” from the top of his 30 years. “If we are ready? No, there’s still work to do but there are two games left and that’s good. We will play to win, of course, but also work on our defense, our attack, the set-upconfirms Captain Fournier.

The Blues at 13, soon at 14?

So far, however, the results are encouraging. A good basis for work, while the Blues are still at 13, maybe 14 if Fall returns. “I will make a good answer from Normand. Overall, I’m satisfied, especially with the way we work. If we talk about defence, I am very satisfied with the second game against Italy, not at all with the one against Belgium. The players will see it during the video tonight… But that’s normal, there are ups and downs. We are in the nails compared to our preparation but that does not give any guarantee. It’s like a Tour de France rider who prepares on his side and who climbs the middle mountains. What will happen in the non-category passes? Quite frankly, I don’t know. Like my players, I harbor hopes, I have a lot of ambition, but also fears. And it’s very good like that because it’s what allows us to move forward“, notes Collet.

Today, we are not at a sufficient level to beat the best teams in Europe today. But that doesn’t mean we won’t be tomorrow…

Vincent Collet

And to add:Today, we are not at a sufficient level to beat the best teams in Europe today. But that doesn’t mean we won’t be tomorrow… Our goal is to get there. It goes through the defense, but not only. The offensive yard is even more important than the defensive yard. We knew that from the start. To be as competitive as possible, we need to be able to rely on a very strong defensive base.This has been the DNA of the France team for years. And it will still be in 2022. In any case, it’s the minimum to try to reach the stars, or even better.