France Falls to Israel, EuroBasket Hopes Dimmed
Tel Aviv, israel – France suffered a surprising 82-69 defeat to Israel on Sunday, jeopardizing their position in the EuroBasket tournament. Coming off a strong victory against Slovenia (103-95) just 24 hours prior, Les Bleus struggled to regain form and officially qualify for the 8th finals with this loss.
France played without Alexandre Sarr,held out as a precaution due to a calf injury. The team appeared sluggish and uninspired, exhibiting a disjointed offense and porous defense throughout the 40 minutes. Israel capitalized, maintaining pressure and building belief as the game progressed.The first half ended tied at 36-36, with France unable to shake off Israel’s defensive efforts. The second half offered no improvement, as France continued to falter.
This marked the worst performance under coach Frédéric Fauxoux,following 11 previous victories.
Despite remaining games against Poland on Tuesday and Iceland on Thursday, the loss to Israel considerably complicates France’s path to advancement. A win against Poland, playing on their home court, is now crucial to secure first place in the group and avoid potential tournament dangers. Should France lose to Poland, their position in the tournament will be severely threatened; thay had a crucial advantage-a “joker”-that is now lost.
