It was planned: the second match of the Euro des Blues, which for the occasion has evolved white, had nothing to do with the first against Belgium, too easy (92-64).
The French came across another much more robust opposition and especially a magician, one of the three best players in the world according to Freddy Faith, the tricolor coach. Luka Doncic did everything and everything well done. And as its lieutenants also did the job, France spent a complicated Saturday.
The last time the star of Los Angeles Lakers had played against France, in Euro 2022, he had scored 47 points. At the break this Saturday, he was already at 24 with shots from the other end of the world improbable for ordinary people. But not for him. He is a treat to see playing, even if he is in the other camp.
Faced with the Mozart Slovenian sharpened and lightened by 15 kg since this summer, the Blues have not found the right solution. In the first period, they committed many mistakes and rested for long minutes on the shine of Bilal Coulibaly and a remarkable Sylvain Francisco. For a long time, the Olympic vice -champions – or rather what left in this campaign (3) – ran behind the scoring before reaching the break with the biggest gap in the match (47-54).
To get out of it, it was necessary then that the Tricolores came out a big second half. It has been their trademark since the start of the summer.
A very good deal
With a team of youngsters in lack of international experience and a giant racket, we were going to see what these new version bruises had in the belly.
We saw and it’s really good. Yet leaded by the faults, the Blues first continued to run behind the brand by slowly reducing the gap (68-70, 30th). And then, the last quarter has become suffocating (83-83, 36th) as often with this team. Alexandre Sarr took matters into their own hands, Doncic was less effective and France ended up winning after last seconds a little confused and a final basket of Francisco that the Slovenes did not appreciate.
This victory full of encouraging lessons and news does not yet qualify the Fluense team for the round of 16. This will be the case this Sunday in the event of a victory against Israel, the same place (Katowice) and even time (5 p.m.).
In the event of flawlessness against Israel then Poland on Tuesday and Iceland on Thursday, the vice-champions of Europe will finish first in group D. They will leave Serbia in the other part of the table before possibly defying Germany. They are not there yet but they have shown beautiful things this Saturday in envy, intensity.
