2023-08-17 07:19:00
After a perfect start to preparation with 5 wins in as many games, the Blues face Japan today at 12 noon. The opportunity for the group to gain momentum and make its mark just 72 hours after their arrival in Japanese lands. For this penultimate preparation match, Nicolas Batum will be spared. On the Japanese side, Nets winger Yuta Watanabe will also be absent. The match will be broadcast from 12 p.m. on BeinSports 1.
Last straight line for our Blues! Arrived just 3 days ago in Japan, the French team immediately entered the bath with this match against the Japanese. Host country of the competition (with Indonesia and the Philippines), overheated room – 15,000 people expected – and faced with a team that had beaten us during the preparation for the Olympic Games. In short, a very good test for our Blues who were very concentrated this morning during the short session of shoot-around.
Locked In before Japan ???? France ????#TeamFranceBasket | #PassionatelyBlue | #FIBAWC pic.twitter.com/b3BTgPiAsf
– French basketball teams (@FRABasketball) August 17, 2023
After a good preparation in France and then in Lithuania, the troupe of Vincent Collet wants to continue working by garnering a maximum of confidence. This afternoon against Japan, it will be the penultimate match before the official launch of the 2023 World Cup. During the preparation for the Olympic Games, the Blues had a catastrophic match (81-75 defeat) and do not want to relive this scenario. With a long trip to Asia, Vincent Collet was cautious when discussing this meeting.
“It all depends on how the players have been able to rest. Even if the Japanese are deprived of major players, the same thing can happen as in 2021. Beyond the team we played, we were apathetic two years ago. We hadn’t slept for three days and we were ill. As such, Wednesday morning’s training was rather reassuring. – Vincent Collet via FFBB
Reassuring, the French team has been since this start of preparation for the World Cup, the whole group seems particularly invested. Evidenced by the double confrontation against the Lithuanians in particular. It will nevertheless be necessary to compose today without the dad Nicolas Batum spared. Yoan Makoundou and Isaïa Cordinier will join the blue rotation.
Perfectionist, coach Collet expects even more.
“I expect that we continue to progress on the principles of play that we put in place. That we win in collective discipline, that is the goal of final preparation” – Vincent Collet via FFBB
On the Japanese side, the two NBA stars are absent. Rui Hachimura (Lakers) preferred not to play this competition to focus on the upcoming NBA season and Yuta Watanabe meanwhile injured his ankle in Japan’s last preparation match against Angola.
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