FRA/RUS – France prove too Gruda for Russia to overcome
VIDNOJE (2007 FIBA U21 World Championship for Women) – Sandrine Gruda scored with five seconds remaining to lift France to a 73-71 triumph over hosts Russia at the FIBA U21 World Championship for Women. In arguably the most intense and thrilling game in
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VIDNOJE (2007 FIBA U21 World Championship for Women) – Sandrine Gruda scored with five seconds remaining to lift France to a 73-71 triumph over hosts Russia at the FIBA U21 World Championship for Women.
In arguably the most intense and thrilling game in the Moscow Region so far, France allowed Russia to go on a 10-0 run at the start of the fourth quarter to lead 61-56, but Les Bleues kept their cool and levelled the scores not long after.
Neither side was able to open up a big lead.
Ekaterina Savelyeva made a pair of free throws with 25 seconds left to leave the contest knotted at 71-71.
France called timeout, and when play resumed, they got the ball to Gruda and the 2006 FIBA Europe Young Player of the Year powered her way up for the winning basket.
Russia called a timeout to set their final play, but Elena Danilochkina had the ball stolen by Julie Barennes and the buzzer sounded.
The result will leave France in a very confident mood heading into the quarter-finals as they finished top of Group A with a 5-0 mark.
Gruda’s 21 points led all scorers in the game, and she was supported by Clarisse Costaz who had 16.
Isabelle Yacoubou, who like Gruda has been named in France’s preliminary squad for the EuroBasket Women in Chieti, Italy, in September, poured in 13.
Gruda finished with 11 rebounds and Yacoubou seven.
Savelyeva led Russia with 18 points and Danilochkina finished with 17.
FIBA