Team in focus - France

PARIS (FIBA World Championship for Women) - The 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women is just around the corner. In the lead-up to the biggest international basketball event, we take an individual look at all 16 teams.

Country: France

FIBA bwin Ranking Women: No.4

Last participation in the FIBA World Championship for Women: 2010 (5 wins, 4 defeats)

Best result in the history of the FIBA World Championship for Women: Bronze medal (1953)

Result in qualifying tournament for 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women: By finishing 2nd at EuroBasket Women.

It is a fascinating time for Les Bleues as they undergo a major transformation - something which would normally damage the tournament prospects of most other nations. But, when you have the world class talent of Celine Dumerc to harness in the backcourt and the silky Sandrine Gruda in the frontcourt, any necessary evolution should be in safe hands.

It’s being undertaken by Valerie Garnier, who will be holding the reins for the first time after stepping up from assisting her predecessor Pierre Vincent who certainly delivered medals during his reign.

Dumerc has insisted that a huge turnover of players during the last two years in the wake of a glorious silver medal at London 2012 isn’t so strange, yet it is still a major piece of surgery for a country who will be eager to retain their ranking as one of the top teams on the planet.

Only a handful of Olympians remain, with the scoring capabilities of Emilie Gomis still on board, along with the rock solid efforts in the paint of Endene Miyem.

France are also heading to Turkey without so many of the players who have been cornerstones of their recent success, including center Isabelle Yacoubou who opted to rest this year and also Emmeline Ndongue and Edwige Lawson Wade who have both retired.

It has flung open the door for a range of new faces to come in alongside the experienced quartet of Dumerc, Gruda, Gomis and Miyem.

Indeed a number of players have been handed senior tournament debuts by Garnier including center Helena Ciak, who has proved her worth in EuroLeague Women and will play under her national coach at club level next season in Bourges.

Ana Cata-Chitiga is finally given an opportunity in the paint and Ingrid Tanqueray is going to be an option in the guard spot.

What has been difficult to figure out is Garnier opting to overlook the rising stars of French basketball – having explicitly stated the need to focus on the future.

There were no places for the phenomenally talented and electrifying point-guard Olivia Epoupa, burgeoning forward Aby Gaye, or Valeriane Ayayi who played as a teenager at EuroBasket Women last year.

Of course if they haven’t done the business in preparation and been outworked or out performed by others, age and potential is no reason to include them.

While there are several newcomers to integrate, the aspirations will still be to challenge for yet another podium finish – even if they have only achieved this feat once in this particular competition – some 61 years ago.

For players like Dumerc and Gruda, the gut-wrenching and nail-biting quarter-final loss to Spain in this competition four years ago, still sticks in the throat as they almost got within touching distance of a real shot at a medal.

It was a bitter pill to swallow and especially as their neighbours went on to win bronze in Czech Republic.

But London 2012 clearly highlighted just what France are capable of with Dumerc leading the way – especially if the new pieces of the puzzle fall into place.

FIBA