For France, the lost semi-final against Serbia came as a real blow to the whole nation. The next day, however, France won claimed the bronze medal of the FIBA World Cup thanks to a win against Lithuania (95-93). A few days after the event, here’s a look at the last month for French basketball, going from the depths of doubt to the euphoria of a podium finish…
France’s FIBA World Cup Comes to a Fairytale Ending
Its hard to imagine that only a month ago French basketball was in a rather worrying mess. Lost friendlies, a team that was struggling to prove they were able to play fluid basketball without their two main stars Tony Parker and Joakim Noah and a fan base that seemed skeptical of the players’ target of achieving the first their ever World Cup medal.
The defeat against Australia less than two weeks before the start of the FIBA World Cup in Spain came as a real warning alarm for the whole of the French basketball community. For the European champions, the World Cup was starting to look like one of those tournaments that shows a transition phase- Without Parker, Noah, De Colo and many others, it seemed impossible for France to really go far in the tournament.
Fast forward a little less than a month to Friday 12th September. That night, two days after their historic win against the hosts Spain, 2.8 million French people (15% of TV viewings that night) watched their national team suffer a painful defeat against an impressive Serbian side in the semi-finals of the tournament. A defeat, yes, but a game that outlined just how far the French basketball team had come in the last 30 days. Contrasting with the indescribable joy that overflowed from every corner in France after their win against Spain, the aftermath of the Serbia game included scenes of disillusion and disappointment.
24 hours later, France already needed to evacuate all those feelings. Batum’s side may have lost their chance to face the “sacred” USA team in the final, but France’s first ever World Cup medal could be at the conclusion of their match-up against Lithuania. Batum and Diaw, like during the rest of the tournament, carried their teammates to that medal. Although it may not be plated with that glorious golden color, the bronze medals around the French necks had the same taste as a gold medal.
Yesterday afternoon, hundreds of French fans crowded the airport France were landing in upon their return from Spain. Wearing their bronze medals with pride, the players were soon to realize the height of their achievement.
For French basketball, the party doesn’t end here. In a year’s time the current European champions will host the EuroBasket 2015 in an attempt to retain their crown. Footy was not the only sport that France shone in this summer…
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