The French basketball players brilliantly qualified for the semi-finals of the men’s Olympic tournament, beating the Canadians (82-73), against whom they were not the favourites, this Tuesday, August 6 at Bercy. The atmosphere was electric in the stands as well as on the court.
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Les Bleus will therefore face world champions Germany on Thursday in an attempt to reach the final of the Games for the second time in a row, three years after their silver medal from Tokyo.
” What a great team victory, what a great victory for the coach. (Vincent Collet)”, says captain Nicolas Batum, swimming, who will not have finished his career in France this evening. In a room heated to white heat, the French have achieved a real little miracle. We prepared for this moment. To do it as a team like we did tonight, what a moment. Especially against Canada. Everything we’ve been through in the last few weeks has allowed us to be the team we are today. In adversity, we didn’t separate ourselves. We never lost confidence, on the contrary, we used that to question ourselves. “, says Rudy Gobert, NBA center, calmly.
” I think the audience enjoyed the show. »
A Marseillaise at the top of their voices, the national flag in all hands, the French team did not lack support for its first meeting at Bercy during this quarter-final against Canada. From the first minute, the five players who started the match gave incredible intensity and galvanized the crowd. I think the spectators enjoyed the show “, said Rudy Gobert.
It should be noted that the Blues’ performance since the start of the competition has not lived up to expectations. But in the capital, this French team has found its colours again, to the great delight of all. Seeing Nicolas Batum’s teammates leave through the back door would have been heartbreaking, given how much these Games have thrilled the country. Canada, which had a perfect run up to the quarter-finals, did not have the opportunity to put itself forward: the Blues were full of rage. It’s not over yet. We stay focused ” warns Frank Ntilikina.
A new feat against Germany?
Showered by Germany, disrupted by public arguments between Evan Fournier and coach Vincent Collet, the French team therefore had to achieve a feat against Canada. We weren’t the same team, we played differently, with desire and also respect for the instructions. And the public pushed us. Germany “kicked our ass” five days ago, they are world champions, we will have to live up to the event ” warns Evan Fournier bluntly.
The French team, which arrived in Paris for the final phase with the same suitcases full of doubts that it had left in Lille for the first week, finally found its smile again.
“ A normal match will not be enough, we will have to achieve something “, said Vincent Collet before this precious victory. This meeting came at the best of times. This team, which until now cruelly lacked cohesion, creation from the outside lines and play inside, surprised Bercy.
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