France – Turkey: the blue miracle!!!

After a blended group stage, the French gamers are getting right down to enterprise in Berlin, with their first knockout match. For this 1/8 remaining, stand in opposition to France, Turks diminished with out Shane Larkin, however valiant and to not be underestimated for all that. The entice match par excellence…

For as soon as on this EuroBasket, the French crew is off to begin, in all respects. The Blues are centered defensively, and sharp offensively. Reverse, the Turks are in nice issue in assault, with a 2/11 on photographs to begin, and extra broadly a 5/19 within the first quarter. The absence of Shane Larkin on the head of Ergin Ataman’s assault is very felt. Regardless of six misplaced balls within the first ten minutes, Vincent Collet’s males are fairly comfortably within the lead after the primary quarter (18-11).

An ideal begin

Subsequently, the French substitutes take over: good passages from Thomas Heurtel and Vincent Poirier permit France to signal a primary main break at +16 at the beginning of the second quarter, whereas Guerschon Yabusele regularly rises in energy. We then say to ourselves that this match may effectively be a formality…

Besides that France, true to type, continues to be not capable of preserve the identical stage of consistency, after which all of a sudden loses its momentum on the finish of the primary half. Losses of ball, illnesses it appears incurable for the French troops this 12 months, proceed to build up (eleven within the first interval). And Turkey, which finds a semblance of deal with, advantages from it. After three profitable photographs in a row, the Turks returned to -7 (40-33) just a few seconds from the break!

On getting back from the locker room, we perceive that the dangerous cross on the finish of the primary interval is clearly not simply short-term, and that the ache is deep…

The Turks catch fireplace at 3-point

The French are utterly off the mark within the third quarter: six poor little factors scored in ten minutes, and worries about misplaced balls which proceed to destroy every thing (18 in half-hour). Worse, Turkey is blazing offensively on its facet, reinvigorated by a all of a sudden flamboyant exterior deal with, and notably vegetation an enormous 19-0 to finish the third quarter. From 49-38 for France, we go to 57-49 for Turkey after half an hour of play!!

Fortuitously, the Blues are violent when beginning the final act, and return at once to a unit of their opponents (60-59). There are nearly eight minutes left to play, but it surely’s already « money-time »… As a result of the crossover continues till the final seconds… and it’s France who cracks first, when Evan Fournier, ball of the potential wins within the fingers, steps on the sideline, and loses possession.

A statue for Rudy Gobert

On the free-throw line, Cedi Osman and Furkan Korkmaz guarantee, and we expect then that the qualification is acquired for Turkey… Besides that this match is a Hollywood film: after an inconceivable lack of ball of the Turkish gamers, Rudy Gobert equalizes just a few seconds in a while a tap-dunk, and France manages to grab the extension!

The French pivot is even the MVP of the extension, throughout which he crushes the Turkish paint, powerless. He misses two essential free throws within the final moments, however Terry Tarpey saves him the guess, on the following possession, with a grandiose interception to validate the victory (87-86). Very badly embarked on the finish of the sport, the Blues are effectively certified for the 1/4 finals, on the finish of this match with a very loopy state of affairs…