PARIS (France) - France had better hit the ground running at the FIBA Basketball World Cup or their stay in China will be a short one.

That's the warning from the team's veteran coach Vincent Collet after Saturday's draw in Shenzhen for the 32-team tournament.

"It's a difficult draw, particularly in light of the crossover with Group H for the Second Round," Collet said.

France are in Group G with the Dominican Republic, Germany and Jordan and if they finish in the top two, will face what many already view as a brutal crossover with Group H, which has Australia, Canada, Lithuania and Senegal. Only the teams that end up in the top two of each of the four Second Round groups will advance to the Quarter-Finals.

"IT'S A DIFFICULT DRAW, PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF THE CROSSOVER WITH GROUP H FOR THE SECOND ROUND…WE WILL HAVE TO PERFORM RIGHT FROM THE START OF THE COMPETITION IN ORDER NOT TO DENT OUR CHANCES OF GOING FAR IN THIS FIBA BASKETBALL WORLD CUP 2019."- Collet

"That's why, in the first place we'll have to concentrate and succeed in our First Round against the Dominican Republic, a team that's solid and athletic, Jordan, who we don't know very well but who we should be wary of, and of course Germany, against whom we must get our revenge following our elimination at FIBA EuroBasket 2017," Collet went on.

"We will have to perform right from the start of the competition in order not to dent our chances of going far in this FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019."

Germany eliminated France in the Round of 16 at FIBA EuroBasket 2017 in Istanbul.

Germany knocked France out of FIBA EuroBasket 2017 in Turkey

Dominican Republic caused a stir at the World Cup in Spain five years ago when they progressed from the Group Phase of the 24-team event and then threw a scare into a very good Slovenia team in the Round of 16.

Jordan were a very dangerous team at the 2010 World Cup in Turkey, almost beating Australia on opening day before falling, 76-75. They also pushed Argentina very close before falling, 88-79.

France will rely heavily on its veterans, including Nicolas Batum, a member of the All-Star Five at the World Cup five years ago.

France, who won 10 of of 12 games in the European Qualifiers, enjoyed their best-ever finish at a World Cup five years ago when they came in third place.

The general manager of the France team, Patrick Beesley, also considered the ramifications of Saturday's draw.

"In view of the fact that we were in pot 1, all of our adversaries are going to consider us as favorites and will want to shine against us," he said. "That's why we have to be very vigilant right from the First Round when we will face the Dominican Republic and Jordan, two teams we've never played in our history, as well as Germany, who knocked us out at FIBA EuroBasket 2017.

"We will first have to be successful in the First Round to enter the Second Round where we will have to finish among the top places to qualify for the Quarter-Finals against teams from Group H that are of a very high level."

FIBA