EUROBASKET 2022 – Equipe de France – “We have to stop”: the Blues would do without their crazy scenarios

Berlin, miracle n°2. It was not the completely crazy scenario of Turkey (87-86). But the Blues still released a crazy match to pass against Italy on Wednesday (93-85). A meeting as thrilling as it was frustrating at times, during which Evan Fournier’s teammates were once again stunning to continue their journey and get a little closer to their ultimate goal in this tournament: the title, of course. “We like to be scared. It was amazing. But this victory is really good“, savored Guerschon Yabusele on Canal +.

What does the bottle matter as long as one is drunk? Not necessarily. If the Olympic vice-champions can only congratulate themselves on still being in the last four for the third time in a row in a major tournament, after the bronze medal at the 2019 World Cup and the silver at the Tokyo Games l Last summer, they could do without their repeated air pockets during matches. “It’s been twice now“, blew Evan Fournier (17 pts). “We have to stop having this air pocket during which we no longer do anything“.

In the viewfinder of the tricolor captain, this terrible third quarter where Vincent Collet’s proteges saw Italy inflict a 31 to 18 on them. With a 17-3 this time, after the 19-0 against the Turks. As a confirmation of their inability to manage their weak times. “In five minutes, there was everything, loss of balls, no withdrawal, no rebounds“, still annoys Evan Fournier. “We will have to realize that we always have a moment of weakness in the third quarter. We have to look at this. See what we have to progress on and snatch the half“, complete on Canal + Guerschon Yabusele, still precious this Wednesday evening (15 pts, 7 rebounds).

If the style”unique“of the Squadra Azzurra is obviously no stranger to it, as the rock Rudy Gobert (19 pts, 14 rebounds) points out, this trend still seems to be part of the DNA of this French team, which never happens Still not able to limit his loss of balls (18 against the Italians). But the silver medalists in Tokyo also demonstrate an explosive ability to get up despite headwinds.”It was war. We knew it. But we didn’t give up. Our niaque is our strength. We try to be aggressive. To be together. to help each other“, welcomes Yabusele. “We make too many mistakes which sometimes help our opponents. But there is something that cannot be taken away from this team, it is determination. We never give up. Even in a bad position, we try to get by go out”, appreciates Vincent Collet.

If they have found solutions so far between the improbable tap dance of Gobert against the Turks and the show of Thomas Heurtel (20 pts, 8 pds) in the money time Wednesday against the Transalpins, the mental strength that emerges from this team is quite impressive. “It comes from the heart and the balls (sic), as Vincent Collet would saysummarized Gobert at the microphone of Canal. Many players would give up in this situation. We are the opposite. We sublimate ourselves in these situations to raise our level.” “We have a strength of character that allows us to never let go”, also appreciates Evan Fournier.

By dint of playing with fire, however, the French risk getting burned. In the semi-finals or in the final, showing a little more consistency would be a great idea to go after your dreams. But this collective strength that emerges from this group when it no longer has a choice is a significant weapon: “I don’t know what the feeling is. We can be so strong, that’s the truth. I want to see the positive side. We can be so strong that it’s frustrating to see us like this for a few minutes. I think you can dominate everyone in any game if you play well for 40 minutes“, warns Fournier.

“If we want to become the team we want to be, we have to have this mentality when we lead by 12 points and not only when we have our backs against the wall.“, hopes for his part Gobert, before concluding: “Keeping the same level of aggression all game long is our room for improvement.” And there, the Blues would have more than ever enough to touch their dream with the finger.