France crushes Russia and qualifies directly for the quarter-finals

Aurélien CANOT, Media365, published on Sunday, June 20, 2021 at 10:22 p.m.

Still a tone above its evening opponent Russia, Sunday in Strasbourg in the final of Group D, the Blue signed a new success in an armchair (85-59) which allowed them to validate their ticket for the quarters final. On Wednesday, the reigning four-time vice-champions of Europe will face off for a place in the last four to Bosnia-Herzegovina or Croatia. And probably a new walk in the park.

This was to be expected and it is confirmed for the moment: this start of Eurobasket has everything of a long calm river for the Blues, who take for the moment a malicious pleasure to defeat one after the other the adversaries who present themselves in front of them. So for those who still feared that this French team which looked like a steamroller at times would not qualify directly for the quarter-finals, and could therefore have to go through an always perilous jump-off, the players of Valérie Garnier are attached to pass to the mill (85-59) Russia, as they had already marched on Croatia then the Czech Republic, Sunday evening in a still hot Rhénus, officially for this final of group D which only had an end on paper. Because the first quarter except – in failure of efficiency, the quadruple vice-champions of Europe in title had constantly chased after the score and approached the second quarter with five points behind (19-14) – he n There has never been a photo when the French have started the machine.

In quarters against Bosnia-Herzegovina or Croatia against whom France had fun

Faced with these Tricolors as ruthless as they are insatiable who look more and more like scarecrows, the unfortunate Russians, deprived of a solution, were also very quickly forced to take impossible shots to try to stay in contact while the scoreboard panicked (30-11 in the last quarter for the Blue) in favor of Alix Duchet, top scorer of the evening (12 points), and his partners, with also to show the way a Marine Johannes still very important, in particular in the collective game (8 points, 8 assists). Here is the France team (but is it really a surprise?) In the quarter-finals, with two days of rest to recharge the batteries and as a future opponent Bosnia-Herzegovina or Croatia, which the Blue had humiliated (105-63) at the beginning of the week. On Wednesday, the next outing of our representatives should therefore lead to a new demonstration. And the more the matches passed, the less we can really see who could prevent the France team, moreover assured since Sunday to avoid Spain, Serbia and Belgium in the semifinals, from winning the cup. You said highway …

French markers: Duchet (12), Gruda (11), Williams (11), Michel (10), Chartereau (9), Johannes (8), Miyem (8), Ciak (6), Tchatchouang (2)

EURO 2021 (F)
From June 17 to 27 in Valence (Spain) and Strasbourg (France)

Group D (in Strasbourg)
1- France, 6 points
2- Russia, 5
3- Croatia, 4
4- Czech Republic, 3

Thursday June 17th
Russia – Czech Republic: 73-69
France – Croatia: 105-63

Friday June 18
Croatia – Russia : 62-73
Czech Republic – France : 51-71

Sunday June 20
Czech Republic – Croatia : 56-84
France – Russia: 85-59

>>> The first qualifies for the quarter-finals. The second and third qualify for the play-offs.