A few minutes before the coronation of their compatriots, the Blues also finished the tournament with a smile. Beaten by Lithuania in overtime earlier in the day (17-18, ap), they pulled themselves together to get a bronze medal against Belgium and their public (18-17, ap). A performance all the more remarkable as coach Karim Souchu’s players had to play three against the Belgians, deprived of Antoine Eïto (sprained left ankle).
The Blues were again joined on the wire at the end of regulation time when Thibault Vervoort responded with a double sharp step to a dunk from Franck Séguéla. But after a series of missed shots from both sides in overtime, and when each team only needed a basket to win, Séguéla found the opening on a nice pass from Alex Vialaret (18-17 , ap).
Deprived of the Olympic Games last summer, the Blues won their third World Cup medal after silver in 2012 and bronze in 2017.