By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
France lost a tough one-possession game against Australia and will have to face the reigning FIBA World Cup champions, Team USA.
Coach Vincent Collet is aware that his squad will face the strongest possible opponent but won’t accept any giving up until the final whistle blows: “We have a quarterfinal against the strongest team in the competition. But until proven otherwise, we are alive. What is worrying is the move tomorrow. Thanks to the organization that brings us back to Shenzhen and then by bus to Dongguan. It will be necessary to manage fatigue of the travel in addition to that of the match whereas the Americans are already on the spot. But we will give everything to succeed in the impossible feat”, he said.
France guard and former Spurs player in Nando De Colo pointed out the defense as the main and only issue against Australia which banked 100 points: “It’s nice to score 98 points tonight but we take 100. There are no other problems than the defense, it’s a team that moves well and at times we managed to stop them. But at the slightest relaxation, they punish us. To go as far as possible we will have to go through the United States.”
Batum also added: “It’s hard, now it’s up to us to stay together and move forward. With us everything can happen, we have to be disappointed but at 00:01 we have to move on.”
Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL