The day of glory for the Bleuets. With 26 points from Maxime Raynaud and 23 from the MVP of the tournament, Ilias Kamardine, the France U20 basketball team won the title of European champion by beating Israel (89-79 ap) after extra time in the final of the Euro, this Sunday, in Greece. Coach Guillaume Vizade’s men have won all seven of their matches in the competition, including a brilliant 98-51 victory over the hosts in the semi-finals.
All with “an attractive game identity, in connection with the identity sought in the French A team”, as Jacques Commères, Director of Performance and French Teams, rejoices. Perfect course in Heraklion and second coronation for the Bleuets in U20 after 2010. At the time, the French team was led by Andrew Albicy, MVP in Croatia.
“The young French teams continue their fantastic summer since, after the U18 women played in the Euro final and the U19 men in the World Cup final, the U20 men won European gold, savors Jean-Pierre Siutat, president of the French Basketball Federation. And how ! The enthusiasm and mastery with which these young boys approached this competition are remarkable. I extend my congratulations to the technical staff, led by Guillaume Vizade, for the work carried out during the preparation, then in Heraklion. French basketball continues to invest in its youth to prepare for the future and this gold medal is a reward for the efforts made by our training structures, ”savors the 64-year-old leader.
“This success is the fruit of the Federal Performance Plan implemented for many years and illustrates the complementarity of the French training system between the Pôle France and the training centers”, underlines for his part Alain Contensoux, the National Technical Director.
Charge to the big Blues of Vincent Collet to do as well this summer, at the World Cup. Evan Fournier, Rudy Gobert, Nicolas Batum and company will be expected on July 28 in Pau for the start of preparation, they who will start the competition in Jakarta (Indonesia) and who will hope to finish it in Manila (Philippines). The Mondial will take place from August 25 to September 10.
