Basketball: in two stages, the Blues knock out (again) Lithuania

The Blues expected to challenge a rebound Lithuania this Friday, in Vilnius, and experience a real test. It must be said that they had scattered Jonas Valanciunas and company in a puzzle way in Orleans on Wednesday (90-72). There was definitely a reaction. But Vincent Collet's players quickly put on the overalls to win (70-76). The dark spot? Frank Ntilikina's injury exit at the end of the game. For the rest, the French basketball team has achieved a meritorious and (very) promising success two weeks before the World Cup (August 25-September 10). The stats? 19 points for Gerschon Yabusele, 13 for Ntilikina, 12 for Rudy Gobert, the three players with 10 points and more in this meeting. Elie Okobo (9 pts) was not far from it. 7 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists for captain Batum.

First news of the evening, the tenure of Evan Fournier, spared Wednesday. However, it was Yabusele who quickly came to light (6-13). Eimentas Bendzius, he caught fire from afar (15-13): 15 points at 5/6 from afar for the latter at the end of the first quarter against the Blues who foiled a little (24-15). Broth. Collet was talking about the country during a timeout. Fortunately, De Colo limited the breakage, but Lithuania led the dance after the first 10 minutes (28-22, then 29-25 at the end of 1st QT). The French continued to suffer at the start of the second against the impact of the locals (34-27)… before regaining their bite defensively. And that changes everything, of course. France took the lead on a triple signed Fournier (36-37, then 36-39). In the end, the two teams were back to back at the break (39-39 MT). Vincent Collet's players therefore only conceded about ten points in this quarter.

False start on the return from the locker room (44-39), but Bendzius and the Lithuanians took a lot of mistakes, allowing the French to stay in the game, and even better than that, like this beautiful defensive sequence and this against Batum before a clever finish from Yabusele (44-47). The two teams, however, did not let go. Big duel. And big "Batman", still omnipresent, as he had already been in Orleans (53-58, then 56-58 at the end of 3rd QT).

With five Ntilikina-Okobo-Ouattara-Yabusele (the only holder)-Fall, France made the break at the start of the fourth quarter (59-69). A lot of seriousness after this first quarter in “open house” mode. And the hint of talent that goes well with this triple from Ntilikina (59-62). Which Ntilikina missed the end of the meeting, visibly hit in the thigh… Worry, two weeks before the start of the World Cup? Still, the Blues, despite the return of the inmates, fell back into their traps at the end, offering some hope to the locals after this plus from Bendzius, again him (70-74). Fournier gave his people some air at the start of the last minute (70-76). De Colo missed the thrust but the blue defense ensured the blow definitively (70-76 final score).

And now ? The Blues will make a detour through Paris on Saturday, with a scheduled meeting with the media, before heading to Japan to complete the preparation. Two matches on the menu in Tokyo, precisely against Japan (August 17) and Australia (August 20). It will then be time to think about this duel against Canada (August 25) at the opening of the World Cup, before facing Latvia (August 27) and Lebanon (August 29) in this first round of the World Cup.