Find out what went well and what didn’t as the Blues put on a display of force against Poland on Friday in Berlin during the semi-finals of the European Championship (95-54).
There was no photograph of this occasion. After squeaking through Turkey (87-86 ap) and Italy (93-85 ap) in the previous rounds of qualification for the EuroBasket, the Blues breezed through Poland (95-54) this Friday to advance to the finals of the competition. A demonstration of seriousness and (very) robust defense as a show of might. A genuine barrier and an almost ideal match for the challenge posed by the Poles, who were quickly overpowered. The championship match will take place on Sunday evening at 8:30.
The Dancing Bear on Fire
Each game has its own Most Valuable Player. This past Friday was Gershon Yabusele’s moment to shine, and he did not disappoint, scoring 22 points on 9 of 12 shots, including 4 of 6 from long range, while also contributing 4 rebounds and 2 steals. On top of a cloud, the Real Madrid player gives a recital. “Yes, but I try to keep my feet on the ground and not let myself get too arrogant.” I do everything I can to be of assistance to my teammates in both the offense and the defense, and I do my best to be present in all areas to make their jobs easier. Today was me. “My teammates made a lot of efforts to locate me,” the former Boston player said in an interview with Canal+. Yabusele, who was already valuable during the Olympic campaign that took place the year before, was a really strong option at position 4.
Gobert was everywhere
When Evan Fournier described Rudy Gobert operating in diesel mode, he was correct. With very high-quality performances throughout the campaign’s tougher matches, the Blues’ pivot has improved in power, which can be seen throughout the entirety of the competition. In contrast, he did not put up particularly great stats this time, finishing with only six points, six rebounds, and three blocks in 19 minutes of action. But the repercussions… It is also necessary for us to evaluate the match between the three best defenders in the NBA based on factors that are not reflected in the statistics, such as deterrents. That’s fantastic, Gobert, and it gives me confidence heading into the championship game on Sunday. It should be noted that his teammates in position 5 also performed admirably. For instance, Vincent Poirier, who finished with 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 blocks, made solid plays alongside Gobert while the Blues were in twin towers mode. Moustapha Fall broke out of his shell, filling the line of statistics and demonstrating that he might be useful on Sunday evening during the championship game of this EuroBasket. Fall finished with six points, ten rebounds, five blocks, and three steals.
Tarpey and Albany, moths in action
Throughout the competition, Collet made a wise decision when he decided to give Terry Tarpey and Andrew Albicy a spot in each of the five majors. The two players fared well on Friday, locking for example Mateusz Ponitka (7 points), who remained on an XXL performance against Slovenia in the quarter-finals. This was established to give balance to the French squad through their defensive aggressiveness ( 26 pts, 16 rebs, 10 PDS). The first player finished with 8 points and 4 rebounds, while the second player finished with 3 points and 4 assists. If there is a single number that can give you an accurate representation of their influence, it is the well-known plus or minus sign: +20 for Tarpey and +24 for Albany. We were able to accomplish what we set out to do, which was to restrict the impact of their key players like AJ Slaughter and Ponitka, and as a result, the game became much simpler. It is also better for the viewers, which is good for their hearts (smile).” The former mayor of Paris-Levallois had a grin on his face. Dogs.
Read more about basketball’s immovable defensive wall as the Blues march on Poland and advance to the championship game of the European Championship.
The Blues serious from start to finish
This time, there is no air gap, and there is no reduction in voltage. “It’s fantastic to win without suffering, but above all, it’s a complete game from the very first to the very last minute. Everyone who wanted to play got a chance, and both our offense and defense were taken extremely seriously. I can’t think of more than one or two consecutive possessions in which we failed to play our game. The final sums up look good for Captain Fournier given this information. As a result of the customer bonus, Coach Collet was able to give his executives some relaxation at the conclusion so that they could perform at their best on Sunday.
Poland is not at the level
Poland was a surprise participant in this round of the last four, but it was helpless. Aaron Cel and his colleagues did not stand a chance against the tricolor machine since they made only 32% of their shots, grabbed only half as many rebounds (40 for the Blues, 21 for the Poles), and lost 16 balls (the same number as the French), and made 67% of their throws. “When we played Slovenia, we put on a new performance; we let ourselves be taken away by the enchantment of basketball, and we prevailed against a superb Slovenian squad… However, France displayed an outstanding performance both offensively and defensively. Examines the Franco-Polish, who was born in Orléans and grew up in Le Mans, Brest, Boulazac, and Monaco before moving to Monaco. Furthermore, “France will be the favorite to win the final,” regardless of whether they play Germany or Spain. May the gods of basketball listen to it… The difference was 41 points in the first half of the euro. A benchmark. The previous one was from 1963, and it involved a deficit of 38 points for the Soviet Union versus Hungary (89-51).
“TLC” at fault, discreet Fournier
After such a display of collective strength, there isn’t much room for failure, to tell you the truth. Everyone took part in the game, everyone scored, and everyone made a contribution. Everyone came out on top in the ranks of an amazing French team that was known for their dedication and consistency, just as they did at the school for fans. We have not yet highlighted Thomas Heurtel’s six assists, Elie Okobo’s positive impression (10 points), or Amath M’Baye’s impact on the game (8 pts). Evan Fournier (10 points, 4 rebounds) did not have to exert any effort to showcase his talent, and as a result, he ceded the title of the greatest tricolor scorer at the Euro to Yabusele (15 points against 14.4). The Blues will save possibly their finest offensive performance for the championship game, which is typically led by the Blues’ customary offensive leader. Nevertheless, we can state that Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot was still positioned in the lower half. After 19 minutes of play, the NBA player concluded with 4 and a quarter points and two losses. First and foremost, he acknowledged all five of his mistakes. His plus/minus of +19 and his three interceptions demonstrate, on the other hand, that one must be picky to talk about a genuine failure.