France Oust USA Basketball Team In The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019: The French pull off one of the biggest results of the ongoing Basketball World Cup as they dismiss USA 89-79 in the quarter-final
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A campaign which began on a note of massive uncertainty for USA could only last as long as the quarter-finals. Taking on France in the recently concluded third quarter-final of the 2019 instalment of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019, a defensively lopsided game from the USA was capitalised on by the French who left no stone unturned to pull off a massive upset.
For USA, the main qualm ahead of today’s clash was going to be reaching France’s circle and trying to traverse their way to the basket as the French switched to a more stringent defensive gameplan. Lead by two time Defender Of The Year, Rudy Gobert, the French made the most of USA’s inability to send down treys, limiting their rotations and ball movement to the centre. It was an eventuality which saw USA entrapped in an impasse, failing to snap out of France’s resolute and gutsy defensive setup.
Overall, the match was far from a foregone conclusion with both the sides partaking in an edge of the seat thriller, a topsy-turvy affair which went down right to the final quarter. Starting at 18-18, France’s lead after the second quarter was wiped off by a resurgent USA who went onto comeback ruthlessly in the third quarter, seeing a third quarter 27-18 give them the smallest of leads heading into the fourth.
However, from there on, the French were unforgiving in their ball movement. Their three main ball handlers in Nicolas Batum, Nando De Colo and Evan Fournier intertwined their skill set to perfection, setting up layups and creating alley-oops as their power forward and centre latched onto the rebounds with precise efficiency to leave USA flabbergasted. A display of indomitable attacking play from the side saw them parry away USA with disdain, wining the culminating quarter 26-13 to send USA packing from the showpiece tournamnet and seal their place in the semi-finals.
With 21 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and the 3 blocks, Rudy Gobert took home the player of the match award, one befitting courtesy of the all round showing he doled out on the day. It was a performance which left USA besmirched with the side failing to scrimmage their way past the Jazz player despite mentioning him heavily in their strategy in the build-up to the clash.
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