After the qualification of the Blues for the final of the Olympic Games, it is the turn of the Blues to try to do the same. It will be at 9:00 p.m., for a “prime time” match against the Belgium.
The “Belgian Cats” are very familiar to the French. They were the ones who deprived Jean-Aimé Toupane's team of the European Championship final last year. Of course, there is also an air of revenge within the French Women's Team, even if the conditions will be very different.
Marine Johannès and Gabby Williams present, Julie Allemand absent
In Slovenia, Marine Johannès and Gabby Williams were not there, and the match was played in front of barely 1,000 neutral spectators. Tonight, the Arena Bercy should be full and while we can imagine that Belgian fans will have made the trip, a large majority of the 15,000 fans expected will support the French Team, with the return of the Kop France Basket in the stands. Belgium must also do without the precious Julie Allemand this year…
“I'm happy to see them again. We all remember last summer, even if not everyone was there. They are our best enemies, I want to say.” Romane Bernies says bluntly. “I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be a great semi-final. But we're focusing on ourselves because we could be our first opponent. Once again, we'll have to come back with our teeth, like we were able to do in this quarter-final.”
Belgium, however, slipped through to the quarter-finals by a mouse hole. After its surprising opening defeat against Germany, Rachid Meziane's troupe thus held on to the United States, but ultimately lost to the American armada. It was therefore necessary to finish among the best 3rd to climb into the final table and, after China's big victory against Puerto Rico, it was a question of winning by 27 points against Japan to beat the Chinese on the “point average”. That is exactly the gap obtained!
Facing the “feminine Nikola Jokic”
It was Spain, first in its group, who therefore inherited the Belgian “gift” and who left the competition, dominated by a Emma Meesseman still as complete and efficient: 19 points at 7/13 shooting including 2/2 from afar, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 blocks and 2 interceptions, for an overall efficiency of 32…
Obviously, the 31-year-old center with a list of achievements as long as her arms (2019 WNBA champion, MVP of the 2019 WNBA Finals, six-time Euroleague champion in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2024, two-time MVP of the Euroleague in 2023 and 2024, winner and MVP of the EuroBasket 2023, etc.) represents the first danger for the Blues.
“Emma Meesseman is pure efficiency” explains Sarah Michel Boury. “But they have other players around them, that's also what makes them strong. They have other players who are very aggressive offensively. They have soldiers… They're a very good team and we know it's going to be tough.”
To take its revenge, France can count on the returns of Marine Johannès and Gabby Williams and, as against Germany, on a wider rotation than its opponent.
With Julie Allemand absent, the “Belgian Cats” are relying heavily on their starting five. Against Spain, the Belgian bench only scored 7 points out of the team's 79. For the Bleues, it will therefore be necessary to make the starters work (and wear them out), and in particular Emma Meesseman. Marieme Badiane, Ilian Rupert, Dominique Malonga and Alexia Chery will have to take turns to limit the impact of the “feminine Nikola Jokic”.
FIVE MAJORS OF BELGIUM
Julie Vanloo – Elise Ramette – Antonia Delaere – Emma Meesseman – Kyara Linskens
BELGIUM SQUAD
Emma Meesseman: 24.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists on average (35 minutes)
Antonia Delaere: 11.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.3 assists on average (34 minutes)
Julie Vanloo: 11.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists on average (33 minutes)
Elise Ramette: 7.5 points and 3.8 assists on average (25 minutes)
Kyara Linskens: 11.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists on average (23 minutes)
Becky Massey: 2.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists on average (19 minutes)
Maxuella Lisowa Mbaka: 6.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists on average (15 minutes)
Laure Resimont
Bethy Mununga
Ine Joris
Nastja Claessens
Billie Massey
BROADCASTING
The France-Belgium match should be broadcast on France Televisions And Eurosportfrom 9:00 p.m.
Photo credit: FIBA
