Bourges (AFP)

The Blue ones will see Tokyo: the French basketball players qualified for the JO-2020, thanks to their convincing victory against Brazil (89-72), Saturday during the second day of the Olympic Qualification Tournament of Bourges.

After the silver in London in 2012 and the fourth place in Rio in 2016, the French team thus hangs up a third consecutive participation in the Games.

After its success full of determination against the Australian vice-world champions Thursday in opening, the Blue showed that it would again be necessary to count with them in Japan.

Better, in the event of success against the small Puerto Rico Sunday at the end of the berruyer tournament, the vices-champions of Europe would put themselves in good dispositions for Tokyo. A first place at Bourges could allow them to be seeded in the draw on March 21, with a course that would cross the path of the American ogre as late as possible in the competition.

In the meantime, they can be satisfied with another great performance at Bourges. If they had been fierce against Australia, this time they added a little offensive finesse to their range.

Worn by a burning Prado, the Blue ones have left their mark from the start. They even proceeded with precision in the first five minutes, taking nine steps ahead thanks to ten points from Sandrine Gruda (15-6).

-Final bouquet-

Already imperial against Australia, Gruda once again stood up (18 pts at halftime, 26 in total) to give air to the Blue at the break (38-27).

Except that the Brazilian, back to the wall after being knocked down by Puerto Rico at the opening of the TQO, ended up coming back and making the players of Valérie Garnier doubt a little.

The Seleçao did not give up, even coming back to four lengths in the middle of the third quarter (40-36). But in terms of intensity and aggressiveness, the French, stifling against Australia, have again released the big game.

With the aggressiveness of Helena Ciak and Alexia Chartereau under the basket, they slowed down Brazil. And since, offensively, Marine Johannès took the game on her own, everything went well.

The back (17 pts) offered a festival, succeeding acrobatic lay-up, dazzling counter-attacks and blind passes to give a nice little cushion at the approach of the last period (60-46).

In the temple of hexagonal women's basketball, these fourteen points were more than enough. Pushed by a packed and electric Prado, the Blue ones obviously did not let go of their ticket, so fiercely ripped, for Tokyo.

With 29 points in the last quarter, they even celebrated with a hell of a firework. In Japanese, we say "hanabi".

For French basketball, this qualification makes it possible to settle in the long term for both men and women, since the two national teams have played the JO-2012 and JO-2016 and are qualified for the JO-2020 and JO- 2024 (as host country).

© 2020 AFP