Eurobasket – Les Bleues walk against Montenegro (89-46) and go to the semi-finals

Les Bleues wanted to add style to the result, it’s done and how! Against a team from Montenegro which looked like an outsider quickly overtaken in this match, the French women’s team rolled out (89-46) to qualify for the Eurobasket semi-finals on Thursday in Ljubljana. The Tricolores find the last four for the eighth edition of rank. They will have a lot to do on Saturday against Belgium, overwhelming and amazing winner of Serbia, deposed title holder, in the quarterfinals (93-53).

This success of 40 points in the afternoon obviously gave ideas to the French team. Certainly undefeated, but without ever taking complete shelter in the group stage, Jean-Aimé Toupane’s players found their way back, on both sides of the field. Helped, it is true, by the premature injury of Milica Jovanovic, second Montenegrin scorer, the French have perfectly executed their coach’s plan. They notably managed to frustrate and get out of her match the naturalized American Natasha Mack, imperial since the start of the tournament, but completely under the extinguisher this Friday (4 points at 2/8).

A collective in tune for a demonstration

The French racket signed the full card, with a lot of defensive work, therefore, a controlled rebound fight – which is only rarely its forte – and a defensive contribution for forty minutes. Even deprived of Iliana Rupert, too soon after her shoulder injury in the group stage, France made the difference from the start of the match thanks to the success of her game on pick and roll, coming out of the screen. With an imperial Marine Fauthoux both in finishing and distribution (15 points at 7/9 and 6 assists), Marième Badiane, then Sandrine Gruda put the Habs to safety.

Above all, it is a high-flying collective performance signed by Les Bleues. The eleven players played at least 11 minutes, and all scored, with the exception of Marie-Paule Foppossi. From the lightning Leila Lacan in the first quarter to the aggressiveness of Romane Bernies through the mastery of Alexia Chartereau or Sarah Michel off the bench, everything happened. By far the best French performance of the competition!

After winning their group stage matches with a gap of between five and eight points, Les Bleues were leading 23-9 after ten minutes. And this time, they did not experience any decompression as they have shown at times in recent months. A Badiane XXL in attack (20 points, his record in selection, in 20 minutes) was responsible for maintaining the pressure and swelling an already substantial lead. The tricolor collective (27 assists on 37 shots) and Sandrine Gruda, 14 points in the second period, completed the demonstration.

The French team will have to show a similar level of intensity and determination on Saturday. Opposite them will stand the Belgian Cats, impressive since the start of the Euro. After a Montenegro close to non-existent this Thursday (28.8% shooting, 18 stray bullets), Les Bleues will face the best attack in the Euro, and by far, far: 89.3 points per game against 75 to Hungary, also qualified for the semi-finals, or 70.8 for France despite their card of the day. The final and the title objective set by the staff will go through there.