Less than two months after the World Cup, the French women’s basketball team begins its season, which should lead it to Euro 2023, with two crucial qualifying matches, Thursday (8:30 p.m.) against Finland in Saint-Chamond then Sunday (5:00 p.m.) against Ukraine in Roanne.
Australia and the elimination in the quarter-finals on September 29 by China (85-71) behind them, the Blue are now looking towards Israel and Slovenia, which will organize theEuro from June 15 to 25. The road passes by the Loire and by two victories in this group B, of which France (3 pts) occupies the second place behind Ukraine (4 pts), while the first of each of the ten groups and the four best second will be qualified.
“The objective is to qualify as best as possible and first place is still easier,” said the captain. Sarah Michelwhich is aiming for a faultless “if possible with a lot of difference” for the final classification.
In particular on Sunday to get ahead of the particular difference Ukrainian, who had heavily beaten Les Bleues (90-71) at the start of qualifying a year ago. To try to break the bank on Sunday in Roanne and Thursday against the Finnish in the brand new Arena Saint-Etienne Métropole (4,200 seats), Michel and his teammates can rely on their memories of Australia.
Johannès and Vukosavljevic back in the squad
Decimated by absences (Johannès, Gruda, Vukosavljevic, Miyem, Duchet) and inexperienced, they left with their suitcases full of promise for their first competition under the orders of Jean-Aimé Toupane, who replaced Valérie Garnier after the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
“There was a good will to do well (at the World Cup). Obviously we want to perpetuate this will, to move forward”, explains Toupan, who had released his coach’s stripes by the heavy defeat in Ukraine. “We are going to be on the continuity of what we tried to put in place this summer. We want to rely on our defense and a recovery game (…) which appeals to the girls”, adds the coach.
If he still will not be able to count on Sandrine Gruda, convalescent, nor Gabby Williams, best Frenchwoman in Australia and spared at the start of the season, Toupane records the returns from the back Marine Johannèsinjured in the right thigh three days before the start of the World Cup, and the winger Valeriane Vukosavljevicwho had given up for family reasons.
“It changes because they are great players who have experience, comments the coach. We hope that it will be a plus for the team, necessarily. We will have to find a balance for everyone.”
