The curse continues for the French women’s basketball team. For the sixth time in a row, Les Bleus left the World Cup in the quarter-finals. On Thursday morning in Sydney, Jean-Aimé Toupen’s players lined up against China for a long time, one of the favorites in the competition behind the United States. But despite efforts from Gabby Williams (17 points) and Marine Fauthoux (a record 19 for the French team), they conceded defeat at the end of the match (71–85).
Silver medalists at the Euros last summer and then bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, France will fail to win a third international medal in a row, leaving China to find either Australia or Belgium in the semi-finals.
Facing the infernal pace the Chinese put up after each missed shot, the Blue conceded the first burst (24-15, 8th), culminating in a miraculous winning shot from Migna Touré at the buzzer of the first quarter (25-25) was. But three points have not dampened the Asian selection’s enthusiasm: Meng Li (23 points) and Sijing Huang (18) have rebuilt a small cushion from earlier at the break (50-39).
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The French women’s team would have to wait another four years to find a World Cup podium. Les Bleus has only one medal in the competition’s history, in 1953.
Fauthoux revived Les Blues
With a completely different face than the one they faced against Serbia 48 hours earlier (a 62-68 loss), the French put on a spectacular third quarter. Young leader Marine Fauthoux (21) alternated outside shots and aggressive penetrations to put the Blues back in touch within minutes (57-56, 24th). Jean-Aimé Toupen’s players had three possessions to equalize or pass, but all were useless.
And the Chinese awakening was fatal to the blues. Poison for the French exterior, substitute leader Yuan Li (10 points, 7 assists) made a free prize-winning arrow (64-58, 28th). Shooting above 55% in the first three quarters, the Blue Machine jammed. After two offensive rebounds – a better controlled zone on Thursday (12 shots under the Chinese circle!) – Sarah Mitchell and Gabby Williams missed the target in a good position.
Meng Li put France back ten points behind on another winning shot (76-66, 35th) and on the next possession, Ileana Rupert made a foul error to confirm that the momentum was for good, swapped sides . A final prize-winning shot from Sijing Huang sealed the deal a minute from the buzzer (83-69, 39th).
Deprived of Sandrine Gruda, Andy Miam and Marine Johannes, all injured, France leaves the Australian World Cup ahead of the last four, but China is one of the tournament favorites behind the American armada. , This is a positive assessment when you look at all the shortcomings, even if we want to go a little furtherRecognized Jean-Amy Toupen into the microphone of beIN Sports. Youth showed courage, self-sacrifice, this is what we are going to remember, ,