Nicolas Batum did not mince his words. The good news of the evening? “Being done with the preparation”said the captain of the French men’s basketball team on Sunday, July 21. Six days before their entry into the Olympic tournament in Lille (Saturday, July 27 against Brazil, at 5:15 p.m.), the Blues lost by the skin of their teeth to Australia in Orléans (82-83). A fourth setback in a row for Vincent Collet’s men, far from dispelling doubts as they approach the Olympic Games on home soil where they are aiming for the podium.
“We’re going to start getting serious, that’s perhaps where we’re best, in adversity”continued Nicolas Batum, recalling that last year, ahead of a completely failed 2023 World Cup, “everything was fine after the preparation”In a white-hot Co’Met hall in Orléans, the French did not reassure on Sunday against the Boomers – bronze medallists at the Tokyo Olympics.
If offensively, the Blues were more effective than in the previous defeats against Germany (65-70), Serbia (67-79) and Canada (73-85), the Olympic vice-champions were unable to remain consistent in defense, as illustrated by this defensive oversight on an opposing throw-in under the Australian basket, when there were two seconds left in the game and they thought they had the victory in sight.
“We wouldn’t be any more reassured if we had won, and we shouldn’t be.insisted the coach, Vincent Collet. We need fight and determination to perform.” However, the French technician is not being fatalistic, as he approaches an Olympic tournament that is more challenging than ever.
“Things can move quickly, in either direction.”
“The competition has not started and it is still different from the preparation”he recalled, stressing that the meeting against Brazil was the only one that mattered. We are not necessarily happy that this series [de défaites] has arrived, and we understand that there are many questions about our level. But things can go quickly, in one direction as in the other,” he assured again.
On Sunday, the new star of the Blues, Victor Wembanyama, shone against the Boomers (17 pts, 12 rebounds and 8 assists). More in connection with his partners, who “are still learning to find it in the best conditions”stressed Vincent Collet, the San Antonio Spurs star delivered one of the best matches of his short career in the blue jersey. He will certainly be closely scrutinized, Saturday, in Villeneuve-d’Ascq (North), during the kick-off of the Olympic campaign.
Admitting to being frustrated by the string of defeats, full-back Evan Fournier – struggling since the start of preparation – assured on Friday, “having enough experience to put things into perspective, while having the lucidity to know what needs to be done to move forward.”
In 2021, before the Tokyo Olympics, the French lost three times before winning Olympic silver. “When you play the best teams in the world, you are not sure to win.concluded Vincent Collet. It also shows us just how much we will have to fight to dream.”