It was in a sold-out and white-hot Pierre-Mauroy stadium that the Marseillaise rang out. The 27,000 French fans were on fire, but Brazil would quickly cool them down…
While Vincent Collet modified his five of the preparation, to return to a classic pair Evan Fournier – Nicolas Batum on the wings, to go with Matthew Strazel and the “Twin Towers” Victor Wembanyama – Rudy Gobert, it is Leo Meindl who strikes from the start with two 3-point shots. It starts badly for France.
The entire start of the match for the Blues is summed up by this sequence where Joao Cardoso steals the ball from “Wemby” on the positioning, before going for an alley-oop to Rudy Gobert on the other side!
Victor Wembanyama gets angry
The French pivot is already on two fouls, while the Brazilians are pushing Victor Wembanyama, who is unable to position himself and therefore to be served. The offensive play of the Blues is reduced to the bare minimum, and it takes 3-pointers from Nicolas Batum then Frank Ntilikina to avoid the worst (23-15) after the first ten minutes.
The start of the second quarter was not reassuring, with Brazil taking a ten-point lead. But the Blues showed their claws in defense, and Victor Wembanyama his muscles and “gogo-gadgeto-arms” in attack.
France shortens the systems to serve him earlier on possessions. And it works while the NBA Rookie of the Year multiplies the brilliant actions. On a big dunk, he equalizes, while Evan Fournier makes France turn into the lead (39-36) at the break. “Wemby” scored 14 of the 39 points of the Blues!
Vincent Collet starts his second half with Matthias Lessort alongside Victor Wembanyama, and the Blues' defense is still stifling. Marcelinhos Huertas can't make his passes, the French arms cutting off all trajectories. Aleksandar Petrovic calls a time-out after a superb three-way play between Victor Wembanyama, Nicolas Batum and Rudy Gobert, and the Blues seem to have finally taken control of the match.
A defensive festival
It must be said that the fouls rained down on the Brazilians, who finished the third quarter 12 points behind the Blues (57-45). Proof of the intensity of the French defense, after scoring 23 points in the first quarter, Brazil only scored 22 points in the next two quarters!
The Lille crowd starts a wave, and we hear “MVP” for Victor Wembanyama at the free throws. But the noose loosens and Brazil manages a few 3-pointers that force Vincent Collet to call a time-out (62-56).
With the gap having shrunk to four points (62-58), it was Isaïa Cordinier who got the Blues back on track from mid-range, while Frank Ntilikina hammered home the point with a 3-pointer. “Captain Batum” emerged again to intercept the ball and finish with a layup, but the Seleçao were still hanging on (69-62) and Vincent Collet called another time-out…
And it was Nicolas Batum again who scored the 3-pointer that put the Blues back at +10 (73-63) as the final minutes approached. An alley-oop from Victor Wembanyama sealed the deal and France began these 2024 Olympics with a victory, after another 3-pointer from Nicolas Batum, who disgusted the Brazilians until the end (78-66)!
The Marseillaise can ring out in the Pierre-Mauroy stadium to celebrate this first success, oh so important. Next match Tuesday, against Japan. It will be at 5:15 p.m. and a victory would open the door to the quarter-finals for the Blues.
Photo credit: FIBA
