Kahudi poised for France return after being named in 18-man squad for February Qualifiers
PARIS (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers) - France have named an 18-man squad for next month's World Cup Qualifiers against Russia and Belgium.
Back in the mix is veteran Charles Kahudi, the energetic and experienced forward who missed the November games with a thigh injury.
France have also included four players - Nando de Colo, Mathias Lessort, Adrien Moerman and Vincent Poirier - that did not play for the team in the first two World Cup Qualifiers in November.
Two-time Olympian De Colo had his first big tournament with France at FIBA EuroBasket 2009 and he was an All-Star Five selection at FIBA EuroBasket 2015.
Moerman, 29, helped France win the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2016 in the Philippines but was left off the roster for the Rio de Janeiro Games.
Lessort, 22, is a rising star who featured for France at the U20 European Championships in 2014 and 2015. Poirier is another up-and-coming player who was in the country's FIBA EuroBasket 2017 team.
| France's 18-player squad for February's World Cup Qualifiers | |||
| Andrew Albicy | Axel Bouteille | Nando De Colo | Boris Diaw |
| Moustapha Fall | William Howard | Edwin Jackson | Mouhammadou Jaiteh |
| Axel Julien | Charles Kahudi | Lahaou Konate | Alain Koffi |
| Louis Labeyrie | Paul Lacombe | Mathias Lessort | Adrien Moerman |
| Amine Noua | Vincent Poirier | ||
Fourteen of the players named in the squad will join head coach Vincent Collet in Strasbourg on February 19 to begin getting ready for the game against Russia to be played in the city four days later.
Les Bleus had a terrific start last year, coming from behind in Antwerp to beat Belgium, 70-59, and then winning impressively at home in Rouen over Bosnia and Herzegovina, 84-65.
Leading the way in scoring were Edwin Jackson and Louis Labeyrie at 12.6 points per game.
Paul Lacombe made the most of his first senior team opportunities with France, averaging 12ppg. Lacombe is a key man with the Basketball Champions League's only unbeaten team and the French league leaders, AS Monaco. He played for national team coach Collet at SIG Strasbourg last season.
After France host Russia, they will take on Belgium in Nancy on February 25.
"The French team will be strengthened by the return of Charles Kahudi, who had to forfeit the November meetings because of a thigh injury, and who will bring all his experience to this young and ambitious group," Collet said.
Kahudi played for France when they finished runners-up to Spain at FIBA EuroBasket 2011 and then two years later when they reached the top of the podium at the FIBA EuroBasket in Slovenia. He was also in the France side that finished third at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2014 in Spain.
"Our determination remains the same as in November, regardless of the particular context of these international meetings," Collet said. "We are on a commando mission with a single goal in these two home games in front of our audience: win to maintain the lead of the group and continue our way to the 2019 World Cup."
In Group E, France (2-0) lead Bosnia and Herzegovina and Russia (both 1-1), and Belgium (0-2).
FIBA
