Without their captain Nicolas Batum left to rest, it will have taken a half-time for the French team of Vincent Collet to adapt to the very atypical game of Japan. But, in the end, the Blues won quite comfortably for a sixth victory in as many warm-up matches (88-70). Next meeting, and the last before the start of the World Cup, against Australia on Sunday morning (at 6:00 a.m. French time)!
Blues in the gas
For their sixth warm-up match, the first after their arrival in Asia at the start of the week, the Blues got off to a good start with a 7-0 from the start. cause of culpable release.
It must be said that the speed of the Japanese game, and its very broad orientation with 3-point shots in all corners, the Blues are a little shaken. To make matters worse, the tricolor offensive game is sluggish, between lost balls for offensive fault or excessive haste.
This gives the Blues a meager three-point advantage after the first quarter (23-20), with Rudy Gobert (16 pts, 9 rebounds, at 100%) and Evan Fournier (10 points) who held the house offensively. But the Japanese snipers are clearly out.
Impression confirmed as soon as the second quarter resumed with a 7-2 from Japan, including a dunk from Baba on a stray ball from Tarpey who went to lock himself on the wing. Coach Collet’s second knives tighten the screws defensively around Mous Fall and the Blues finally manage to chain a few stops.
Rising to +8, thanks to eight consecutive points from Nando De Colo (14 pts), but also thanks to a very clean Sylvain Francisco (14 pts) in scoring and passing, the French team seemed close to making a break. But conversely, with a 9/25 from 3-pointers, including 9 points from Yuki Togashi at 3/5 from 3-pointers, the Japanese cling on valiantly, to stay five lengths at the break (45-40 ).
Japan is dying
The Blues continue to yo-yo after returning from the locker room. Even though Elie Okobo gave the French a 9-point lead… the Japanese fell to -2 in the blink of an eye! Kawamura and Tominaga pass the warm hand and the French defense is still suffering…
The French size is finally felt with Gobert who connects six points including a huge tap dunk. The Blues finally manage to create a real gap, at +14 (68-54). After a very discreet first half, Guerschon Yabusele also got into it. With a 25-17 in the third quarter alone, the Blues have taken the lead, but nothing is done yet (70-57).
While Keisei Tominaga (20 points) sends a final rocket from afar, the Blues definitively put out the Japanese flames, logically continuing to press where it hurts: inside. Mous Fall and Vincent Poirier weigh heavily under the hoops and we are quietly approaching +20 with four minutes to go.
With seven points scored in as many minutes in the final quarter, Japan struggled to finish the game. The faults accumulate and Collet allows himself to rotate with Makoundou who will place a small dunk. The French team got the job done after half-time (30 points conceded) and remains undefeated for its sixth warm-up match (88-70).
Photo credit : Lenoir/The Agency/FFBB
