By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
By nailing one of his classic long range jumpers with 30 seconds left on the game clock, Tony Parker gave France a 76 – 75 win over Serbia, doubling the victories of “Les Bleus” in the tournament.
Before Parker sank his game-winning shot Boris Diaw had a remarkable all-around performance, “caressing” the triple-double with his 11 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists. Nando De Colo also paced the winners with 22 points.
Neither Miroslav Raduljica’s scoring (16 points with 7/9 shots) nor Milos Teodosic’s passing (10 points , 9 assists) were enough to bring a positive result to Serbia. With this defeat the “Orlovi” draw closer to finishing fourth in the Group, while France is the favorite for advancing to the quarterfinals as third.
The French national team got off to a rocking start in the match, with an impressive 7/7 from the field and 20 points scored in the first five minutes of the match. Initially unable to keep up with their opponents’rhythm, Serbia draw closer once Milos Teodosic jumped on the floor.
When coach Djordjevic’s players got their rhythm going, they began to gradually reducing the deficit slowly yet quite steadily, to make it 36 – 40 at halftime.
But it wasn’t until the end of the third period, that Serbia would gain its first lead in the match, when Simonovic made it 55-54 in transition.
While he his teammates sat seemingly comfortable in the driver’s seat, France remained in hot pursuit, until Parker hit what would be the game’s decisive basket, half a minute before the final buzzer. Bogdan Bogdanovic attempted to deliver (another) buzzer beater, but his shot went off target.
