Jostled, the French team finally defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina in Tuzla this Monday, in qualifying for Euro 2025. Two out of two for the Blues.
It wasn’t easy, but the main thing is: the French team won in Tuzla against Bosnia-Herzegovina (64-74) this Monday, during qualifying for Euro 2025. Second victory in two matches for the Tricolores, winners of Croatia (73-61) on Friday, in Brest, for what represented their first match since the fiasco at the Coupe du world.
Despite a suspenseful three-pointer (23.8%) and throws (61.3%), not to mention the 15 ball losses, Vincent Collet’s players made their defense do the talking to win, as often, for example limiting Real Madrid star Dzanan Musa to 15 points on 5/13 on shots. In total, only 40.4% on shots for the Bosnians, including 15.8 from distance (!), and no less than 18 ball losses in this (very) choppy match (32 fouls to 28). Four French players with 10 points or more, Gerschon Yabusele (16 pts, 9 rbs), Vincent Poirier (13 pts, 8 rbs), Matthew Strazel (11 pts) and Paul Lacombe (10 pts). His statistics don’t say it, with 1 point, 2 assists and 3 interceptions, but captain Andrew Albicy was very valuable this Friday, with a +/- at +11 to demonstrate it, the second of the Blues after Poirier (+17). A rare enough fact in basketball to be highlighted: France won all four quarters.
Messy and laborious… on both sides
Coach Collet was hoping for an improvement in attack, he must have been disappointed with the start of his players. In fact, both teams were fishing in this area. Little skill, whistles, loss of ball… Boisterous and laborious. Bosnia, however, managed to get going, taking advantage in particular of the French largesse inside (15-9), but France took the lead after the first quarter thanks to gains from Francisco and Strazel (15 -16 end of 1st QT). Hifi was entitled to his first minutes in Blue, and soon to his first points, in this increasingly heated match. With Cordinier inspired in attack, France, solid in defense and taking advantage of the extreme clumsiness of its hosts at long distance, took the lead (27-33) and finished in front at half-time (32 -34MT). Not brilliant but sufficient so far, especially since local star Musa was limited to 5 small points at 2/8, including 1/6 at three points.
We started on the same basis again, but the Blues clearly tightened the screws in defense, which allowed them to fuel the attack and take off (34-47). Classic. What an impact from Poirier and Albicy, the former PL players. Note the entry into play of Jaylen Hoard, his first in Blue.
The Blues are playing to scare each other
However, Collet’s players were not out of the woods. Far from there . They started to stutter their basketball and crack at the start of the fourth quarter. Fouls, ball losses, missed baskets… Which had the gift of igniting the room (54-57). Bosnia also made multiple mistakes but France lacked too many shots to take advantage (55-60). The shots, however, were the only thing that came in: not a French basket in the first six minutes of the fourth quarter! Poirier restarted the machine, soon imitated by Yabusele, and Bosnia finally gave up (59-73, then 64-74 final score). Next qualifying matches for the Euro? In November. Until then, coach Collet’s Blues will be expected at the 2024 Olympics, near Lille and Paris.
