ANTWERP (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers) - Belgium coach Eddy Casteels remains "ambitious" about having success in November's World Cup Qualifiers, starting with Friday's home game against France, despite being robbed of two more key players through injuries.

Quentin Serron and Jonathan Tabu picked up knocks over the weekend in club action and have been replaced in the squad by Elias Lasisi and Thomas Akyazili.

"In 2016, we missed Axel Hervelle, Sam Van Rossom, Matt Lojeski, Pierre-Antoine Gillet and Quentin Serron because of injuries," Casteels said. "We nevertheless qualified for a fourth EuroBasket in a row.

"The way to a first participation in a World Cup will be long and hard but with my sports staff, I want to be ambitious and I firmly rely on the talent and experience of guys like Maxime De Zeeuw, Pierre-Antoine Gillet, Hans Vanwijn, Vincent Kesteloot, Retin Obasohan, Kevin Tumba and Jean Salumu."

Belgium were without numerous frontline players for their EuroBasket 2017 qualifying campaign yet still finished top of their group. While Van Rossom and Lojeski have not been released by their clubs for the World Cup Qualifiers, Hervelle announced earlier this month that he had decided to retire from international basketball after 16 years with the program. He has 128 caps, the third most behind Christophe Beghin (137) and Jef Eygel (134).

France have been preparing for the game against Belgium in nearby Lille, which is only a 30 minutes away by car. While Casteels has been at the helm of Belgium for 12 years, Collet has held the reins of France since the summer of 2009. One of his first accomplishments was to lead France to success over Belgium in the additional play-off qualifications for EuroBasket 2009.

Louis Labeyrie played a lot for France in his first EuroBasket this summer

Key Matchups: Belgium center Tumba and France pivot Louis Labeyrie are sure to battle against each other in the low post. Both competed at EuroBasket 2017. De Zeeuw needs to hold his own against France great Boris Diaw at power forward with the Belgians also hoping to get a lift from 22-year-old Hans Vanwijn at the four spot. Neither team will have point guards from their EuroBasket campaigns so Belgium will give an opportunity to Alexandre Libert and Retin Obasohan while France are turning to Andrew Albicy, Axel Julien and Elie Okobo.

Key Stats: 21 and 15 - the number of points De Zeeuw scored in a win over Great Britain and a loss to Russia at EuroBasket 2017. Belgium need his scoring against France. Pierre-Antoine Gillet needs to drill some 3-pointers for Belgium as he did in the win over the Brits, when he was 5 of 9. The number 241 is significant because it's how many caps Diaw has with France. He is 18 shy of the all-time record held by Herve Dubuisson. His experience will be invaluable for Les Bleus.

Did you know? France and Belgium have squared off on 65 occasions, with the French winning 46 times - more than against any other team - and the Belgians coming out on top 19 times. France are 18-2 over the last 20 games between the two teams. 

FIBA