He started his Euro very slowly. He had ups and downs. But on this quarter-final day, it was he who carried the French team into the last four of the competition. He is Thomas Heurtel, who decided to take out his biggest shorts at the best time!
On the scale of probabilities, chaining two consecutive miracles like the ones we have just seen is a… miracle. Against Turkey in the round of 16 last Saturday, it was Rudy Gobert who finished with the match ball in his hands. This Wednesday against the Italians? Despite a new boss match from Rudy, he is unmistakably for Thomas Heurtel. 20 points, 8 assists, 8/14 in shooting including 4/7 at 3-point, look no further, this is the reference match for the blue-white-red leader. A symbolic performance of the rise of Thomas since the match against Bosnia and after a very beginning of Euro – it must be admitted – well slammed. So once again, as we are talking about Thomas Heurtel, there were sequences where we wanted to tear our hair out, like during his two loss of ball in less than a minute at the start of the fourth quarter- time while the Blues trailed by eight points. But behind, it was specifically when the French team was in trouble that Thomas came out of his box to allow his friends to get their heads above water. The Heurtel show started midway through the final quarter, with a big award-winning shot followed by an alley-oop pass for Gobert to put France back on a small possession. Thomas then never came down again.
“People who know me know that I like those moments. I’m not afraid to take responsibility, and with our first offensive player on the bench for five fouls – Evan – I tried to take matters into my own hands. »
History will remember that Thomas Heurtel is the one who puts the two teams tied 77-77 on a penetration five seconds from the final buzzer. Author of eight points in the last seven minutes, Thomas is possessed. We are on the verge of asking him for his shorts but as there is still an overtime to play, we hold back. And we are doing well because behind Heurtel he takes himself squarely for Uncle Drew: two lay-ups, a floater, six points in overtime and the playmaking that goes with it, David Cozette’s favorite player hurts too much. Despite an Evan Fournier out for five fouls, France is led only once during extra time and ends up validating the win 93-85.
“Tom had a very, very big match, he carried us to the end where he was a bit the only player who brought creation. It’s the Thomas we love, in addition he has this touch of madness where he can put his 3-pointers and make very good passes. He’s the man of the match. »
– Evan Fournier after the meeting, at the microphone of Canal+
THOMAS HEURTEL OR KYRIE IRVING I DON’T KNOW
— TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) September 14, 2022
Among Thomas Heurtel’s great moments with the French team, this quarter-final against Italy already has a place of choice. And it will weigh even more if the Blues manage to continue the adventure a little longer, until they potentially end up on the roof of Europe.
The performances of Thomas Heurtel since the start of EuroBasket 2022
Source : FIBA