FRA – France qualify for EuroBasket and remain in the hunt for Turkey

PAU (EuroBasket 2009) - Two years of suffering are officially over for France.
 
Tony Parker and Co thrashed Belgium 92-54 in the return leg of the Additional Qualifying Round Play-off to earn a trip to the EuroBasket, Europe’s qualifying event for the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey.
 
The French women made amends for their dismal eighth-place finish at the EuroBasket two years ago in Italy by winning the European title earlier this year in Latvia.
 
The men now have a chance of duplicating that feat in Poland for they, too, finished eighth at the EuroBasket in Spain – a result that caused them to miss the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
 
Sunday’s success means that France will play in Group B with Germany, Latvia and defending European champions Russia.
 
Their opening game in the EuroBasket will be on September 7 against Germany in Gdansk, Poland, and the aim of Vincent Collet’s team will be to not only achieve a top six finish to qualify for Turkey, but also to capture a medal.
 
Parker was asked after the rout of Belgium if he had been nervous before the second leg in Pau because of the recent form of the opposition.
 
"I had no doubt,” he said.
 
“I know basketball improves everywhere but the atmosphere (6,000 fans in Antwerp’s Lotto Arena) had helped them in the first game.”
 
Belgium had prevailed 70-66 over the French on Thursday.
 
“I knew we couldn't lose at home and besides, I found Italy to be better,” Parker said.
 
“It gives me pleasure considering all the failures we have had to endure. From what I've seen today, I think this team can be ambitious at EuroBasket."
 
The key in Belgium’s win in Antwerp had been their ability to control the tempo, and Collet had spoken of the need to speed Sunday’s  game up so the French could use their superior athleticism and quickness.
 
The French were decisive in the second quarter.
 
Leading 21-18 just 30 seconds into the frame, Les Bleus outscored the Belgians 27-5 over the next nine minutes for a commanding 48-23 advantage.
 
Two players who sparked France were Antoine Diot and Ronny Turiaf.
 
Diot came off the bench and finished with a game-high nine assists while Turiaf had 15 of his game-high 19 points before half-time when France built a 48-25 advantage.
 
Turiaf was so impressed by Diot that he said his play had been like that of the Dream Team’s NBA Hall-of-Famer John Stockton.
 
"He began to push the ball and the understanding between us was very good,” Turiaf said.
 
"We must give him credit because the boy has come up with a big, big, big game.
 
"That was John Stockton! I understand why he was MVP in 2005 (U16 European Championship for Men)."
 
France kept the pressure on in the second half in a thorough dismantling of Eddy Casteels' team.
 
When it was over, France had won the rebounding battle 35-25.
 
They had also held Belgium to 13 of 34 (38.2%) shooting inside the arc and six of 20 (30%) beyond it.
 
France ended up with five players, including Turiaf, in double figures scoring.
 
Parker finished with 16 points, Boris Diaw 13 and both Nando De Colo and Ali Traore 12.
 
FIBA