FRA - Les Bleues host several friendly games before OQT

PARIS (FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women) - France's players are busy wrapping up their domestic campaigns all over Europe and that includes Lattes Montpellier’s Edwige Lawson-Wade - the French top flight's MVP.

Lattes Montpellier are hoping to win a Game 3 decider in their play-off semi-final against Challes Les Eaux Basket to set up a title showdown with Bourges – a side with several French internationals.

But very soon, the players will shift gears and begin to concentrate on national team duty, and the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) for Women in Ankara, Turkey, which runs from 25 June to 1 July.

Les Bleues, who captured the bronze medal last year at the EuroBasket Women in Poland, are hoping to reach the Olympics for the first time since the Sydney Games.

Starting 8 May, France will train at Bourges for 10 days under coach Pierre Vincent.

They will then move to Lyon for a stage that runs from 24 May to 5 June.

In Lyon, France will play Poland on 3 June.

The following couple of days, the same two sides will also meet at Andrézieux-Bouthéon and Bourg-en-Bresse.

The French are also going to take on other sides that will be at the OQT.

On 14 June, the French will square off against the Czech Republic at the Astroballe de Lyon-Villeurbanne.

The following day in Bellegarde sur Valserine, France will meet Croatia.

Then on the 16th, in Halle Vacheresse de Roanne, France will take on Canada – a team they will also face in Group D.

The 21st of June sees the French meet Puerto Rico – a fourth team headed to the OQT - at the Gymnase Ganne à Saint Julien les Villas.

Twelve teams take part in the OQT and France are in Group D with the Canadians and Mali.

Five places for the London Games will be claimed in Ankara.

FIBA