“It’s the team we want to be,” says Rudy Gobert. Overtaken by the Germans two days earlier, the French basketball players passed the showdown of Lithuania (77-73) supported by a green tide to snatch their first victory in Eurobasket 2022.
Carried by an Evan Fournier of the big nights (27 points), the Blues are back in their group B, brutal like that of Slovenia of Luka Doncic whom they will meet last, after Bosnia-Herzegovina and first Hungary from sunday. “He did Evan Fournier”, describes Rudy Gobert about his friend from the same 1992 generation. “He put his shots, he was aggressive and he knew how to keep us in the match when it was a little more hard. »
“Not unexpected heroes”
After seven and a half minutes, “Antz” had already piled up as many points as after the entire match against Germany (7 pts). “I like to start the matches by being aggressive”, delivers the interested party. “We know that I am a serial player and that I can get up very quickly in points. It is our role, that of the coach and the major players, to show the way. Beyond winning, this is the way I remember. On the bench, I watched us play, I said to myself here we are. I had a feeling of serenity, a feeling that I had during the last competitions. I tell myself that it will be fine, regardless of the adversity or the team in front.
Beyond the number of his captain put to a lot of contribution (nearly 33 minutes), also did the greatest good the incorporation into the five major of Terry Tarpey and the return of Moustapha Fall, whose entry after five minutes sounded the blue revolt.
In addition to his four interceptions and an overflowing activity, the American of origin, “TT”, player of Le Mans, signed two precious three-point baskets including one to equalize for the first time in the last quarter. (60-60).
“I do the things I know how to do: take open shots and defend, help the team”, describes the native of Poissy, raised in Connecticut as his accent suggests. “These are not unexpected heroes, we are waiting for them,” praised star Rudy Gobert. “They can change the course of a game and they did. »