The French women’s Basketball team crushed Israel (94-52) Thursday in Caen in qualifying for Euro-2025 for its first match since its silver medal at the Olympic Games. Despite a relaxation in the last quarter (23-14; 24-10; 24-8; 23-20) the Blues sign their third victory in as many days and maintain a victory ahead of Latvia at the top of the group E.
A success on Sunday in Riga against the Baltics, whom they crushed in the first leg (71-49), and they would validate, barring an unlikely combination of circumstances, their ticket for the Euro (June 18-29 in Greece, Sweden, Czech Republic and Italy), as first in their group or via one of the four best runners-up tickets.
High intensity
Even if Thursday’s opponent was ideal, the Blues did not miss their reunion with the French public who left with a narrow defeat in the Olympic final against the American queens (66-67). And even if only half of the medalists set foot on the floor, between absences (Marine Johannès, Marine Fauthoux, Iliana Rupert, Dominique Malonga), retirement (Sarah Michel Boury) and break (Alexia Chéry), the French team kept its weapons: aggressive defense, continuous intensity, athletic impact and inside (50 rebounds at 24, 54 points in the paint at 20).
Williams glasses
She added, as the match progressed before half-time (40-20, 18th), some great offensive sequences. The Blues can also always count on their senior players, including Gabby Williams: the unfortunate heroine of the Olympic final started the international season on such high bases (14 pts, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 interceptions and 3 blocks in 18 minutes).
She was well accompanied by the new captain Valériane Ayayi (11 pts, 7 rebounds and 2 ints in 20 min) and Marième Badiane (11 pts in 19 min), before coach Jean-Aimé Toupane opened the bench in second period to offer their first cap to Jess-Mine Zodia and Drômoise Camille Droguet, who played 10 minutes (3 pts, 4 rebounds, 1 assist).
No false note marred this meeting marked by a police presence and reinforced security conditions in front of and inside the venue in the context of war in the Middle East.
Senegal
