We still don't really know how, but the Blues are there.
The French basketball team qualified for the Eurobasket semi-finals by defeating Italy on Wednesday after a cataclysmic 3rd quarter.
The French refuse to see it as luck, like Rudy Gobert.
“When you're at -7 two minutes from the end, you don't need luck to get there.
You have to make stops and you have to score.
And that's what we managed to do.
Afterwards, would I like to be able to take a 20-point lead when we are able to do so?
Yes, I would love to.
Keeping the same level of aggression throughout the match is our room for improvement.
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“Even in bad shape, we try to get out of it”
Vincent Collet is on the same line as his player.
Not a question of luck, or very little, but of a state of mind.
“We make too many mistakes which sometimes help our opponents, regrets the coach.
But there is something that cannot be taken away from this team, it is determination.
We never give up.
Even in bad shape, we try to get out of it.
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In the end, only the tricolor winger Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot recognizes a share of success in the success of the France team, especially when the Italians had match points.
“We had success at the end because he (Simone Fontecchio) misses his two shots.
Thomas (Heurtel) got us out of this situation, he put in some big shots and helped us.
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Lack of consistency
The solid end of the match for the Blues left captain Evan Fournier, still not at his best, unsatisfied.
“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 each other like this for a few minutes.
I think you can dominate everyone in any game if you play well for 40 minutes.
Easier said than done, for now.
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Rudy Gobert
Vincent Collet
Evan Fournier
French team