In 2021, the French U19s have long made us believe in the title of world champion falling just two points behind the United States in the final. This year ? It is the turn of the 2005 generation to make us dream. The team is beautiful, complete, and it is hungry for a medal, if possible golden. After a group phase passed without major problems and in particular a phenomenal beating against New Zealand, the Blueberries faced the Japanese this afternoon in the round of 16. There too no problem, EDF did the job and qualified for the quarter after a 108-43 victory. Zoom in on their journey and the boys ready to give everything to bring home the cup.
Marbella, 1:15 p.m. Start of the second round of 16 between Japan and France. The Japanese have just finished last in Group B but have real good players like their poor Chet Holmgren, Yuto Kawashima. The French for their part finished first in Group B after a serene start to the competition. Three victories of 13, 32 and… 69 pawns against Serbia, Canada, and New Zealand, seems like it can build confidence. On paper, the Bleuets have a clear and logical size advantage which will be very useful to them throughout the match. Indeed, when you are a coach and you have twelve players with tentacles instead of arms, it helps on both sides of the field. However, the start of the match is complicated for Bleuets, who are very annoyed by the very good passing game ability of the Japanese. On set play or in counter-attack, the Asians always know how to find their teammate alone to serve beautiful caviars. Opposite, the French use their size advantage on alley-oops and a lot on put-backs. Alexandre Sarr, member of the Overtime Elite and brother of NBAer Olivier Sarr, enjoys collecting offensive rebounds off the bench. 6 points in 2 minutes 30 for Sarr, preserved because he came out of illness which appeared three days before the start of the World Cup. 25-17 at the end of the first quarter for the Bleuets, who decide to really show what they can do as soon as they return to the field. Thirty points difference is already present on the scoreboard before returning to the locker room for halftime, garbage time begins in the third quarter but the Japanese simply can not compete. Final score 108-43, 65 points clear in a victory, however marred by Noah Penda’s ankle injury. The future Vichy player saw his ankle turn, and the images are not very encouraging. Small blow for France given its start to the competition.
Floor is lava ????
France are playing volleyball over the rim over here ????♂️#FIBAU17 | @ffbasketball pic.twitter.com/Z4IWnEc5c3
— NextGen Hoops (@NextGenHoops) July 6, 2022
After this eighth, and if the Blueberries go to the end, they will have to chain without rest day the quarter, the half and the final. Not necessarily obvious but today’s score also shows the strength of the bench depth of the France U17 team. This is a real advantage against direct competitors, and even in the United States, who are also on track to reach the final. In the tricolor roster of the twelve players of this World Cup reserved for players born in 2005 and +, there are beautiful people who are starting to make a name for themselves little by little in France. When reading the list, avoid stopping at surnames, otherwise you will think that forty-somethings have returned to service with the minots. The sons of ex-internationals Florent Pietrus and Stéphane Risacher, Illan and Zaccharie are thus two of the masters of this French team. The two boys are already very comfortable in the Espoirs championship and have already made appearances in Betclic Elite matches with SIG Strasbourg and LDLC ASVEL respectively. By their side, two members of the professional group of Paris Basketball, Mohammed Diawara and Pacôme Dadiet. Pacôme has also been put to rest following a wrist injury but should return to the floor in the quarter-finals. The MVP of the Coupe de France U17 2022 Killian Malwaya is also present. Cholet Basket, one of the best French training centers, is also represented by Elidjah Lamart. The workforce is then supplemented by jWorkers from the France Pole, such as Ilane Fibleuil and Wilson Jacques. In short, a small band of starving people well established in France who have only one desire: to go looking for gold. And they are more than capable of it given their performances since last July 2.
See you Friday for the first quarter-final of the day at the start of the afternoon between the Blues and the winner of the Argentina-Slovenia match. The match promises to be more complicated than the previous ones, but the France U17 team can do it. As they say, impossible is not French!