"France Women's Basketball Dominates Finland in Eurobasket Qualifiers"

2023-02-12 08:00:00

A formality, or almost. Without shining, the French team logically dominated Finland, Sunday afternoon in Helsinki, at the end of its qualifying course for the women’s Eurobasket which will be held from June 15 to 25 in Israel and Slovenia. Already qualified thanks to their victory three days earlier in Lithuania (83-75), the daughters of Jean-Aimé Toupane have never been in danger against an opponent who was clearly not at the level (0 victory in 6 games). This did not prevent the French from proposing a complicated start due to too many ball losses (12 at the break, 21 in the end).

With a revamped team, amputated from its main nugget Awak Kuier, Finland only deceived by sequences, thanks in particular to a few banderillas from Anissa Pounds, who had the gift of annoying Toupane. A frustration all the more understandable as France had counted up to 17 points in advance at the start of the second quarter (10-27, 12th) and had then not been able to widen a more substantial gap afterwards.

After its initial defeat in Ukraine (71-90), the France team won its next five matches.

At the end of the second act, Gabby Williams (18 points) was responsible for reviving hers in order to reach the locker room with an 11-point lead (37-26, 20th).

A quickly folded second half

After the resumption, the Blues were able to pack the game, on a scathing 16-0 slammed in the wake of Williams, untenable in penetration or ball in hand. Marine Johannès waited for the 28th minute to score her first points in the game, by chaining three three-point baskets (67-30, 30th). All that remained was to manage the organizations and the rotations in order to return the players in good health to their respective clubs, with for some a match to be played in the middle of the week.

With an excellent record in the qualifying phase (5 wins – 1 loss), the French team has thus laid the first stone which should lead to the European title hoped for in four months. Thanks to a sesame pocketed quite early, the members of the staff and the leaders were quickly able to work on the preparation program, which should start at the end of May, after the final of the Women’s League (LFB).

The group draw will take place on May 8, with the first phase being held in Ljubljana (Slovenia) and Tel Aviv (Israel). The final phase will take place in Slovenia.