KATOWICE (Poland) - France had the last word in a high-scoring encounter that featured 12 lead changes and saw the scores tied on 15 occasions, to bend the resistance of Slovenia, 103-95, extending their perfect start in Group D despite another superb performance by Luka Doncic, who came up with a game-high 39 points.
Turning Point
The two teams were tied at 83-83 with 4:00 to go in the fourth. when France collectively switched gears. Alexandre Sarr, who finished with 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks, decided to deny access to the glass to anyone in a Slovenian jersey, while Guerschon Yabusele and Elie Okobo delivered clutch plays on the offensive end in quick succession, powering a decisive 8-0 run for France to grab a 91-83 lead.
TCL Player of the Game
Before the start of FIBA EuroBasket 2025, concerns were raised around a potential lack of leadership and playmaking skills in the point guard spot for France. After the first two games in Katowice, one can say that Sylvain Francisco has addressed all those concerns convincingly.
Not only did the French #00 dished a team-high 5 assists on Saturday, but he also led all French scorers with 32 points adding 7 rebounds and 2 steals. He's proving to belong among Europe's finest.
Despite the loss, Luka Doncic still displayed magic on the court. Slovenia's icon ended with 36 points, 8 assists, and 8 rebounds. Once again, he was close to perfection at the free-throw line (19-of-20).
Stats Don't Lie
From start to finish, France and Slovenia went back and forth, as the 12 lead changes demonstrate. The French side however outscored their opponents 38-20 in the paint.
Slovenia's game plan for their EuroBasket 2025 debut against Poland hugely relied on three-pointer shooting and they went 13-of-37 from deep. Against France, they opted for attacking the glass more often, and that cleared space to improve their three-point shooting percentage as they shot 9-of-22 from behind the arc.
Bottom Line
Two very different ways of winning for France, first against Belgium and then over Slovenia. The common factor was Frederic Fauthoux's team's depth. They are now unbeaten in Group D action, and they wouldn't mind extending their unbeaten run against Israel on August 31 at 17:00 CET.
Slovenia on the other hand are winless after the first two matches in Katowice. Luka Doncic and his teammates quickly need to react in their next game against Belgium.
They Said
"You can't score 32 points every day, but it's the team that made it happen. I'm really thankful to my teammates. I'm happy with this, but we just gotta move forward." - France's Sylvain Francisco.
"Sylvain showed the way; he gave the rhythm and aggressiveness. We followed him to bring us on top. We showed resilience throughout the whole game. When we get stops and we can run, we are really tough to guard." - France's Isaia Cordinier.
"I think we fought. They are dangerous in fast breaks; we tried to keep them low-paced, but they got a way to win in the last few minutes. We stayed in a close game until the end, I'm proud of my guys." - Slovenia's Edo Muric.
For more quotes, tune in to the official post-game press conference!
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