Basketball World Cup: Batum describes a team "disappointed" but who "will get up"

Nicolas Batum, winger and captain of the French team, at the microphone of BeIN Sport after the 85-79 victory against Lebanon: “We wanted to react. We were only nine, without big men it was complicated. We too were very disappointed with what happened (Editor’s note: elimination from the World Cup on Sunday after the defeat against Latvia). But we are a great team nonetheless. Unfortunately for some, we are not dead, we will get up. It’s a big blow to the head, but we had to show some pride tonight. We fought. Mentally it’s hard but we stayed together, united. Lebanon played very well and it’s still a nice victory. We had a big lunch together between players. We tried to decompress, to laugh, to stay together, united, because there are two matches left and we have to win them. There are children watching us, we must not let go. We have to show people that we are not going to let go of this jersey. That’s what we tried to do tonight and that’s what we’re going to try to do in the next two matches.”