Ask for the program! The draw delivered its verdict this Tuesday regarding basketball at the 2024 Olympics. Vincent Collet’s Blues inherited a relatively affordable group with Germany, Japan and the winner of the Riga TQO, possibly Latvia. The Bleues of Jean-Aimé Toupane will return to Australia, Canada and Nigeria. It remained to know the schedule of matches. It was immediately revealed this Tuesday evening.
In this case, Victor Wembanyama and company will start with the winner of the Latvian TQO, before facing Japan and the German world champions. “Overall satisfied” with the draw, coach Collet believes that it will be essential to start well against their first opponents, “it will be a turning point”, he says. And added: “The Germans, it will be in the last match and I hope for a final. It will be our goal to be first.” This would indeed make it possible to avoid a potential clash with the American scarecrow from the quarter-finals at the Accor Arena… Remember that the group stage will take place on the side of Villeneuve d’Ascq, at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium, as during of the final phase of Euro 2015. “It will be tough,” swears the national coach, obviously already in office at that time.
Marine Johannes, Sandrine Gruda and their teammates will start against Canada, from hat 2, before meeting Nigeria, a priori the weakest team in the group. Then, they will finish with the Australian Opals, the toughest opponent on paper. “All the matches will be finals,” underlines Jean-Aimé Toupane, delighted “to see things clearly” after the draw. Note that the first two in each group will qualify for the quarterfinals, as well as the two best third-placed teams. The women’s tournament will be played from July 28 to August 11, and the men’s tournament between July 27 and August 10.
The program for the French men’s team (times will be communicated later): July 27: France-Winner of the qualifying tournament in Riga (Latvia) July 30: Japan-France August 2: France-Germany
The program for the French women’s team: July 29: Canada-France August 1: France-Nigeria August 4: Australia-France