France ‘scared to go home’ after early Basketball World Cup exit
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France's players gather in a huddle during the Fiba Basketball World Cup Group G match between France and Latvia at Indonesia Arena in Jakarta on Sunday. France were eliminated in the first round after losing 88-86 to the tournament debutants.
PHOTO: AFP
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JAKARTA – France’s Nicolas Batum said he was “scared to go home” after the Tokyo Olympics silver medallists crashed out of the Basketball World Cup with a shock loss to Latvia on Sunday.
France were eliminated in the first round after losing 88-86 to the tournament debutants in Jakarta, two days after being thrashed by Canada in their opening Group H game.
The French came into the tournament in Indonesia, the Philippines and Japan as one of the favourites to lift the Naismith Trophy. Instead, they got what Batum said was “a good kick in the butt” just 12 months out from the Paris Olympics.
“I wasn’t really ashamed with that jersey but that’s the first time I’m really ashamed,” said Los Angeles Clippers forward Batum, one of several National Basketball Association players in the squad.
“I’m scared to go home because we have let a lot of people down. A lot of people in the country believed in us to do something. They believed in it and we didn’t do it.”
France went into the game on the back of a 95-65 roasting by Canada in their tournament opener. The latter continued their good form by setting a new record for the most assists in a World Cup game with 44 in their 128-73 win over Lebanon on Sunday.
France never trailed against Latvia until the Baltic side took a one-point lead with just over 30 seconds remaining.
Arturs Zagars then nailed a free throw to put Latvia ahead by two points with 10 seconds remaining, and Sylvain Francisco missed a three-point attempt with France’s final chance.
Latvia outscored France 26-12 in the fourth quarter, which also saw French playmaker Nando de Colo ejected for two unsportsmanlike fouls with minutes remaining.
France held a nine-point lead when de Colo was ejected and Batum said the incident was “the turnaround of the game”.
Meanwhile, France head coach Vincent Collet called the defeat “a nightmare”.
“After the first defeat from Friday we were expecting a reaction,” he said. “I think we got it – a real one because during three quarters we played much better – but it was not enough because we have suffered from something from Friday.
“Our spirit was not at the Latvian level and I think that made the difference in the last couple of minutes.”
In Group B, China’s campaign was left hanging by a thread on Monday after a surprise 89-69 loss to tournament debutants South Sudan. They were thrashed 105-63 by Serbia in their opening game and must now beat Puerto Rico on Wednesday and hope that other results go their way to avoid a first-round exit.
In Group E in Okinawa in southern Japan on Sunday, Germany edged out Australia 85-82 in a thriller that went to the wire.
Germany’s Dennis Schroder scored 30 points to outduel Australia’s Patty Mills, who hit 21 to become the Boomers’ second-highest World Cup scorer with an all-time 311 points.
Japan, meanwhile, overcame a 10-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter to beat Finland 98-88.
In Group A, the Dominican Republic beat Italy 87-82, and Angola silenced co-hosts the Philippines 80-70.
Montenegro downed Egypt 89-74 in Group D, while Lithuania also picked up their second win, beating Mexico 96-66. AFP
