Team France
26/01/2015
News
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France want taste of success again

PARIS (EuroBasket Women 2015) - France will be eager to banish the memory of last summer's seventh-place finish at the FIBA World Championship for Women when they return to the court this summer at EuroBasket Women 2015.

The No. 4 side in the FIBA bwin World Ranking Women, les Bleues fell to the United States in the Quarter-Finals in Turkey and ended up seventh, a much worse showing than the previous three summers when they had reached the podium.

A France team that lost Emmeline Ndongue and Edwige Lawson-Wade to retirement also did not have a fully-fit Endene Miyem for all of their games.

Another low post presence in Isabelle Yacoubou was missing as she took the summer off.

There were some encouraging performances in Ankara and Istanbul.

France had nevertheless hoped for better.

After the tournament, Celine Dumerc sent out a message to the fans and effectively asked for their patience and understanding, letting them know that the team was undergoing some change.

At the EuroBasket Women, which tips off 11 June, France will play in Group A against Ukraine, the Czech Republic, co-hosts Romania and Montenegro.

"All of the countries in all of the groups should be respected because they are motivated by the same thing: qualification for the Olympics," said Valerie Garnier, the France head coach who led the team for the first time at the World Championship.

As for her own group in the opening phase, she said: "The Czech Republic is known, a team that has already been crowned champions (2005) and has played at the last World Cup. 

"Montenegro has quality players and Romania will play at home. 

"With Ukraine, we are a little more into the unknown. 

"If we get to the second round, we could end up meeting Turkey

"All of this requires us to play every game with the same intensity for the highest rank possible."

Garnier will put her team through its paces in nine preparation games.

They will face Great Britain, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Lithuania, Greece, Sweden, Italy, Canada and Poland.

They will play friendly clashes in the cities of Roanne, Lyon, Bourg-de-Peage, Mont-de-Marsan, Tarbes,  Pau, Arras, Orchies and Villeneuve d’Ascq.

FIBA