EuroBasket – After Mario Hezonja and Croatia, the Blues beat Dzanan Musa’s Bosnia-Herzegovina in Tuzla (74-64) to get their qualifying phase off to a good start.
With the local star (from Real Madrid) Dzanan Muza who sets the example, even if he is rather well behaved, Bosnia insists inside, on well-worked two-player play and it pays off: +6 (15- 9). But Sylvain Francisco and Matthew Strazel hit the mark from afar, in quick succession, and saved appearances on the scoreboard at the end of the first quarter (16-15).
Nadir Hifi honors his first selection for the French team and he scores without delay, with the board to boot. But overall we are witnessing a festival of clumsiness in this first half: 4/13 at 3-points for the Blues and only 2/14 for Bosnia!
Worse still, France is beaten in the fight, feverish and even sometimes naive defensively. When she manages to find rhythm, she appears a tone higher. But the game is choppy as can be and, as, in addition, it leaves points en route to the throws (6/12), the gap is logically minimal in their favor at the break (34-32).
The Madrilenians ensure
Back in place at the break, the Blues started the 3rd quarter with a 13-4 lead, concluded with a dunk from Guerschon Yabusele. Soon imitated, with a left-handed ax blow, by Poirier! Musa goes for his “circus shot” with the mistake, but France is in the lead.
Jaylen Hoard scores his first points in Blue and frustration rises on the Bosnian side, like this technical fault from Gegic. If Strazel continues to flame, Bosnia hangs on and returns to -9 before the last quarter (57-48).
Which starts badly with two consecutive losses of the ball from Francisco. Bosnia inflicts a 6-0 and the French team remains silent for five long minutes offensively. At the same time, mistakes continue to rain down from all sides. But the Blues do not take advantage (enough) on the penalty line.
And then, five minutes from the end, the Blues found their second wind, with Poirier (13 points, 8 rebounds) omnipresent and Yabusele (16 points, 9 rebounds) always in the right shots. The gap widens and reaches around ten. There will indeed be a sin of gluttony with Yabusele missing a two-on-one dunk, but the essential is assured.
Vincent Collet’s squad finally won by ten points (74-64), fulfilling its contract with a second victory in two games, an ideal start to qualify for the next Euro.