OLYM - Spain renew French rivalry

LONDON (Olympics) - After a frustrating Olympics for Spain, there at last appears to be light at the end of a tunnel for Juan Carlos Navarro.

The team's EuroBasket 2011 MVP says he has started having "better sensations on the court" and that is not good news for France, who will face the Spaniards in the Quarter-Finals on Wednesday.

Navarro missed much of the preparations because of plantar fasciitis, and a back problem, and he didn’t play in Spain’s Preliminary Round wins over Australia or Great Britain.

Yet he featured 23 minutes against Russia and then 27 against Brazil.

The 32-year-old was a combined two of nine from three-point range against the Russians and Brazilians, both Spanish defeats.

"I needed to get rhythm,” said Navarro, who had 27 points in last year’s European title game against France.

“I have better sensations on the court and that is a positive heading into the Quarter-Finals.”

Navarro says Spain’s players must look at themselves in the mirror after two straight setbacks.

“Of course, I'm disappointed with the defeat to Brazil, as is the team,” he said.

“We've had two bad days and we can't have a third."

Pau Gasol, meanwhile, has continued to be the dominant force for Spain in the low post.

Against Brazil, he had 25 points and seven rebounds.

"For stretches we play well and other stretches, we are nowhere,” Gasol said.

“It's down to lack of concentration.

“France is a very strong team and right now, any team can beat us.

“We need to learn from these defeats and improve a lot because we are not playing at the level that we have to play and it's a bit disappointing for us.

"Against Brazil, it is a game we should have won.”

Brazil outscored Spain 31-16 in the fourth quarter.

“This is not our first game nor the second, it's our fifth and it's worrying,” Gasol said.

“We either improve or we all go home."

France’s fortunes have changed dramatically since their opening day demolition at the hands of the United States.

The French reeled off four wins in a row to finish second to the Americans in Group A and now have an opportunity in the Quarter-Finals to gain revenge for last year’s gold-medal game defeat to Spain.

Florent Pietrus didn’t play in the team’s 79-73 win over Nigeria because of a nose injury but he’ll be available for the game against the Spaniards.

“Of course I’m going to play,” Pietrus said. “I had today to recover (against Nigeria) but this is the most important game of the tournament coming up.

“I like the way we play, and how we played against Argentina and Lithuania. After Nigeria, we have a couple of days to get ready.”

Pietrus says he’s looking forward to playing Spain, the number two side in the FIBA Men's Ranking.

“To get something from the tournament, you have to beat the big teams,” he said.

“We’re going to play, and we’re going to play 100%.”

FIBA