While Evan Fournier had just equalized (80-80) with an (already) huge shot from afar, Matthew Strazel had been sanctioned on the throw-in. The Blues in the penalty, Yuki Kawamura could give his team the advantage again with free throws. There were then about forty seconds left to play in this match.
Misfires by Evan Fournier and Victor Wembanyama later, the Japanese leader gave his country a four-point lead (84-80). With 16 seconds still on the clock, things were looking very, very bad for the Blues…
A miraculous 3+1
All the Blues confessed then that, even if nothing is ever over in basketball, they felt that the match was slipping through their fingers, and that the horizon was darkening. But it was time for the Matthew Strazel miracle.
It was time for this 3+1, a basket with Yuki Kawamura's foul ten seconds from the end. To equalize!
“I was free, confident. Rudy had the lucidity to get the ball out of my hands at the right time, I put myself in a preferential position because I like shots when I come out of my left hand. So I'm happy that it fell in and to have been able to snatch this extra time, which turned into a victory.” explains the hero.
Vincent Collet admits to being surprised that the opposing leader threw himself so much on the shot, while with a four-point lead, it was better not to contest the shots. But France will not complain…
“I've seen him do stuff like that in training before.” says Guerschon Yabusele. “He's someone who has a lot of self-confidence. He can still improve a lot of things but he's on a roll.”
“A young person who really wants it”
Yet, having left the starting five and been replaced by Andrew Albicy in this match, Matthew Strazel kept his confidence.
“I am a player who works a lot on confidence” he explains, while he finished the match with 17 points at 5/9 shooting including 4/7 from afar. “When I receive confidence from my teammates and my staff, it gives me emotions. I feel like I'm much better and myself when I live the match. It's a bit my personality.”
Evan Fournier was proud to see the AS Monaco player highlighted in this way, even though he was far from being assured of being part of Vincent Collet's list of 12 for these Olympic Games.
“I'm happy for him. He's a young guy who really wants it, who has a pretty atypical career. I think it's clearly the biggest shot of his career. It was magnificent. And then he puts the shot behind it. Clutch.”
Is this the highlight of his career?
“After my first selections during the windows, this will remain the greatest moment of my career. For the moment…” Matthews Strazel is quick to add, however. More miracles may be to come.
Interview conducted in Villeneuve d'Ascq
