Francisco still at the rendezvous
In a carbon copy of the first Dijon quarter, the Seleçao tied the game (17-16, 10th), thanks in particular to the good passing game of interiors Sasa Borovjnak and Miguel Queiroz in the racket. More athletic than their opponents, the Blues began to impose their suffocating defense to create the gap in the second quarter (26-18, 14th). But the offensive difficulties of the Blues – like this 6/23 from three points – allowed the Portuguese to stay in touch.
Frustrated, Louis Labeyrie and Isaïa Cordinier were sanctioned with two unsportsmanlike fouls for cutting off Lusitanian counter-attacks at the end of the first half. Unsatisfied with the first 20 minutes, Vincent Collet launched Amath Mbaye (16 points), Axel Julien (5 points, 5 assists) and Terry Tarpey in his five major for the second act.
Twenty minutes still laborious against the Portuguese, pushed by the public of Matosinhos. While Isaïa Cordinier was closely watched, it was a new head from the France group that allowed the staff of the Blues to take a deep breath.
For his second international match with the pros, Sylvain Francisco shone. The pocket leader of Manresa returned a first award-winning shot at the buzzer (49-43, 30th). Then he again admired his long-distance address with two “strings” in the last quarter to finally allow the French team to break away (57-43, 33rd).
On the way to the second group stage
The Portuguese came back to seven points but without seriously worrying the France team. Vincent Collet even took the opportunity to launch Hugo Benitez 30 seconds from the buzzer. Called up to compensate for the injury of David Michineau, the leader of Bourg (21) celebrated his first cape with the Blues with a decisive pass for a dunk from Isaïa Cordinier.
With this fourth victory in four matches, the French team retains the lead in Group E. The Blues are already guaranteed to participate in the second phase of qualifying for the 2023 World Cup. But every victory counts and it will be necessary to beat Hungary and, above all, Montenegro in July to best tackle the rest of the qualifications. France should notably find Lithuania by crossing with group F.
