The Blues are back. After the silver medal obtained at the Paris Olympic Games this summer, Jean-Aimé Toupane’s players return to the courts this Thursday, November 7 against Israel (9 p.m.), before facing Latvia on Sunday. In Caen, the French team will try to get a foothold in Euro 2025, without the injured Marine Johannès. Gabby Williams, elected French player of the year, and Dominique Malonga, first French player in history to score a dunk, will be there.
Stakes, broadcast, group… Here is everything you need to know before the Euro 2025 qualifying match between France and Israel.
The challenge: surfing the Olympics
The Blues came close to achieving this feat. In the final of the Olympic Games against the United States, the undisputed stars of world Basketball (they have been undefeated at the Games since 1992), the French believed they could bring down the Americans but ultimately lost by a small point (66-67). A cruel outcome, which should not make us forget the magnificent journey of Marine Johannès’ teammates in Paris. By competing with the USA, France has proven that it is one of the best nations in the world. And that she could dream of new medals in the years to come. It starts next year, where France will certainly aim for the title at Euro 2025. For this, the players of Jean-Aimé Toupane, recently extended at the head of the blues, must qualify, and beat Israel this Thursday , at the Palais des Sports in Caen.
The opponent: first place in the group at stake
Within Group E, France has already won against Latvia and Ireland and could take a big step towards qualifying for the Euro in the event of a victory this Thursday against Israel. Sharon Drucker’s players suffered a narrow defeat against Latvia (86-83), but clearly beat Ireland (87-57) at the opening of qualifying for Euro 2025. By winning against the Blues, they would get back to the top of the group and force the French to win in Riga on Sunday against Latvia. The Israelis, not qualified for the Paris Games but who had obtained their ticket for the previous Euro, intend to repeat the feat next year.
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The number: 982
982. Like the number of points scored in the selection by Valériane Ayayi, the most capped player in Jean-Aimé Toupane’s group. From the top of her 151 capes, the player playing in Prague (Czech Republic) is far from Sandrine Gruda’s Blue record. Very recently retired, the former ASVEL interior player will have accumulated 2,878 points in 225 selections. If Gruda does not dethrone Céline Dumerc’s 262 selections in the tricolor jersey, the Frenchwoman is ahead of Isabelle Fijalkowski (2,567 points), the most decisive player in the history of the French women’s basketball team. At 30, Valériane Ayayi knows the path that remains for her to climb to join these legends of French basketball.
The group: Johannès absent, Gabby Williams headlining
There were 14 girls selected for this fall gathering. Besides Gabby Williams or Valériane Ayayi, Marine Johannès was necessarily part of the group formed by Jean-Aimé Toupane to face Israel then Latvia. Unfortunately, the former ASVEL player had to forfeit, injured, just like her teammate in Mersin (Turkey) Iliana Rupert and Carla Leite, the young leader (20 years old) from Villeneuve-d’Ascq. They are replaced by two players from Tarbes, Camille Droguet and Jess-Mine Zodia.
Dominique Malonga, the first Frenchwoman to score a dunk in an official match, should honor her 15th selection this Thursday.
Also worth seeing. VIDEO. Basketball. “It’s a dream”: Céline Dumerc and the Blues in ecstasy at the Palais des sports in Caen
At what time and on which channel to watch the meeting?
The meeting between France and Israel will be held this Thursday, November 7 at the Palais des Sports in Caen la mer (4,200 seats) at 9 p.m. Les Bleues will be broadcast unencrypted on The Team Channel. Live commentary will also be provided on ouest-france.fr
