KATOWICE (Poland) - France used a majestic first half to race to an unassailable 32-point lead at the interval and claimed an 114-74 victory over Iceland in a high-paced, high-scoring Group D encounter on Thursday.
Turning Point
France came out looking to make a statement and kept their foot on the gas throughout the entire first half. Frederic Fauthoux's team led wire-to-wire, using a 12-0 run to go up 26-7 with less than three minutes remaining in opening frame.
Les Bleus poured in 36 points in that first period, their highest-scoring quarter so far in FIBA EuroBasket 2025., and led by as many as 46 points, 112-66, in the final stanza..
TCL Player of the Game
This was a collective effort by France, with no less than eight players scoring in double digits. However, Zaccharie Risacher was the most effective shooting-wise and on the glass.
The No.1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft concluded the Group Phase with 15 points (3-of-3 from two and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc) and 7 rebounds in 21:10 minutes off the bench.
Stats Don't Lie
In their first four games in Group D, France’s second unit averaged 49.8 points per game, the most by any team in this EuroBasket, as the French bench contributed 57 percent of the team's total points.
They were even better against Iceland, outscoring their opponents 66-32 in points from the bench (57.9 percent of the total.
Bottom Line
France couldn't head to the Round of 16 in more dominant fashion. They have secured a top-three spot in Group D, but their final position will depend on the remaining two games played in Katowice.
Iceland say goodbye to EuroBasket 2025 without ticking the win column but having won the hearts of the crowd in Katowice with their relentless spirit and uptempo game.
They Said
"It's an opportunity to get ready for the next stage. We really wanted to respect ourselves and respect our opponents. No game is easy in the EuroBasket: it's a competition with amazing talent and great teams. We're ready for whoever." - France's Theo Maledon.
"Our identity is not to slow down or play down other teams. For us, it's about making statements and making sure we do what we have to do. We did a great job. We need to stick together and make sure we help each other." - France's Sylvain Francisco.
"Thousands of fans coming here from Iceland to support us is just amazing, it means everything. I'm very proud that we gave every team a game, even against France: we scored more than 70 points. We gave it all against everybody." - Iceland's Orri Gunnarsson.
For more quotes, tune in to the official post-game press conference!
FIBA