PostedSeptember 18, 2022, 11:29 PM
BasketballSpain beat France to become European champions
Spain became European champion for the fourth time following beating France in the final (88-76). The Blues ran following the score throughout the game.
Spain becomes European champion for the fourth time.
AFP
Nine years following the only coronation of French basketball, the Blues folded (88-76) once morest their best enemy Spain, Sunday in Berlin in the Eurobasket final. A year following the final of the Tokyo Olympics, the Olympic vice-champions once more fail on the last step. Except that this time it’s not once morest the intimidating United States but a novice Spanish team, with only eight players who have already played in a major tournament.
The Blues bow once morest the Spanish intimate enemy who has already ejected them from the final of Euro-2011, the Olympics-2012, Euro-2015 at home or even the Olympics-2016.
The Pau brothers and Marc Gasol retired, another sibling has donned the clothes of executioner of the Blues: Willy and Juancho Hernangomez. 37-year-old veteran Rudy Fernandez, the tie man on Tony Parker in the lost 2011 final, had never really taken them off. Touched by grace, the interior of the Denver Nuggets Juancho Hernangomez (27 points) bullied the Blues from a distance. He who was shooting at 30% success behind the line, signed a 7/9 (78%). His brother Willy added 14 points.
France led the whole game
Overwhelmed by the challenge and the Spanish defensive fury, Vincent Collet’s men let the final slip away in the first half. They were never able to fully overcome the 21-point gap suffered in the second quarter (47-26). However, a semblance of recovery had been initiated before halftime. Five points from Evan Fournier before the return from the locker room allowed them to find the floor only ten lengths behind (47-37).
The momentum of “remontada” continued, with a 20-2 inflicted, until briefly returning to three points (49-46). Without ever being able to return to this final that they only led one possession (1-0).
(AFP)
