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Does France have better size in the pivot this year? That's the only thing that hurt them in Eurobasket...(besides their FT shooting).
The world cup wound is still hurting and the dust is just settling down. But great times are coming and today was France first game to start preparing for the championship in august.
So here it is, france is en route to the medals and tont is back from vacations. he had a good break since the season ended early (this wound too is still hurting... men) travelled with Eva and enjoyed the world cup. However he is already in rythm. He started training friday one day earlier than anticipated. they did a lot of physic training this week end. the first game was against Switzerland, a modest european team.
Tony had 13 points and 7 assists out of a total of 19 for the team. It is a good start after such a long break.
Next is a tournament next week end against better teams so it will tell us more.
Tony and boris diaw will be the clear leaders of this team with a huge potential. it should be nice for us spurs and basket fan to follow tony...i am all pumped up...
Last edited by JUUOT; 07-21-2006 at 09:22 PM.
Does France have better size in the pivot this year? That's the only thing that hurt them in Eurobasket...(besides their FT shooting).
Juuot, what do you think the rotation will look like:
PG Tony/?
SG ?/?
SF ?/?
PF ?/?
C ?/?
Allez les Bleues
The coach was really enthousiast about Fred Weis, apparently he is in the best shape of his life (his career did not turn out as projected for injury and shape problem) and Johan Petro improved quite a bit and has good syze and athletism. It gives you two tower of 2,18m and 2.14m.
The compe ion is huge for the places on the team for the bigs, since there are also Julian and pietrus (florent) that won the medal last year competing for the other spots with turiaf from the lakers and massingue.
i think Weis is the only one already in
First i definetely think the team will be way better than last year and i am really excited about their potential with tony and boris beeing the framework.
PG: Tony and joseph Gomis
WIngs: Mike pietrus, Gelabale, foirest, diaw
Bigs: Fred Weis, Petro, flo pietrus, Julian
Here is a group of ten. it lacks some shooting so to complete the group we should see a shooter, morandais could be the surprise
and most likely another big and you can't help but to love turiaf.
after next week end tournament 3 guys will get cut so we will know a bit better. I'll try to keep you posted. I am sure Bruno will also help
Not to mention the concussion from Vince Carter's nuts.
Of course, I will. French team looks quite good and they will be even better in 2 years for the olympics.
For the moment, french team has 17 players : 5 will be cut before the world championship.
French bigs will be ok with Petro, Weis and Turiaf at center. In two years, it will be better with Mahinmi and Noah. France biggest weakness are the lack of experience and the lack of outside shooting.
From the nba standpoint, the only player that don't play in nba and with a nba potential is Yannick Bokolo, he will be cut os stay at teh end of the bench. He is defensive combo guard with huge athletic abilities (just check the block he did in the french championship final : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGPzh5AZAIg ).
A big question too is : AT what post Diaw will play ? PF or SF ?
France will be the most athletic team behind USA and will play good defense. If they hit their 3's and if they don't choke (like against Greece last year), they will be very difficult to beat.
http://www.noticias.info/asp/aspComu...d=202098&src=0
FIBA: FRA - France in upbeat mood
DIVONNE-LES-BAINS (FIBA World Championship) - France will kick-start their FIBA World Championship preparation for good on Monday evening when they face Switzerland in their first friendly in Divonne-les-Bains.
France, who have never lost to the Swiss in 27 encounters, will play a total of 12 friendlies before the prestigious 24-team tournament, which tips off in Japan on August 19. The team started their preparations in Divonne last week without point guard Tony Parker and guard/forward Mickael Gelabale, who was in Seattle to seal his contract with the SuperSonics. Both players have now joined the rest of the team and the Parker is eager to start the compe ion.
"This is the first time I've finished a season with no injury," said the San Antonio Spurs superstar in L'Equipe. "I feel perfectly fine to play with the French team and I hope to reach top form in two weeks time for the Berlin tournament (from August 3 to 5). Against Switzerland, I will play my best as if we were facing the Argentinians or the Greeks. I have not played for two months and I will be very motivated."
For coach Claude Bergeaud, the clash will be an opportunity to start drawing up the final 12-man squad he will take to Japan. Out of the 17 currently in the team, Parker, Boris Diaw, Gelabale, Cyril Julian, Mickael and Florent Pietrus, Laurent Foirest and Frederic Weis, have all but secured their ticket to the land of the rising sun.
Foirest is a long-time member of the national side but was injured and unable to play for Les Bleus last year at the EuroBasket where they won the bronze medal.
Center Weis was a big-time player for France at the EuroBasket and Bergeaud is expecting him to make vital contributions this time.
"I have never seen him play so well," said coach Bergeaud. He is exceptional and is leading the younger ones."
Centers Johan Petro, Ronny Turiaf and Vincent Masingue are all fighting for a place in the side.
"This is very open," said Bergeaud. "I am very impressed by the form and the motivation of the guys."
Bergeaud will reduce his squad to 14 men after the Strasbourg tournament, which is being played July 21-23.
Is it true that European teams see the World Championships as greater than the Olympics?
No, I've never heard that.
i knew you were not far bruno lol.
I think Foirest will have a huge role on the team, kind of rigeaudeau of last summer. If he stays healthy he will be the plug for the lack of experience AND the outside shooting. Tony is also fastly becoming a veteran at this rate and his jumpshot improvements will be heavely tested.
The rest of the team is so young and athletic that if they get rolling and get some momentum in a tournament like this it could be scary, but i am afraid about their resiliency. Turiaf, Pietrus, Foirest and diaw should hold the fort if it starts falling appart.
Concerning Diaw, i can not find it but i recall bergeaud implying he would select him at a SF spot but will most likely spend a lot of time at the 4. However i feel we have good solution there 2. my starting 5:
parker
foirest
gelabale
diaw
Weis
from the bench: the pietrus family
I'm never far when it's french NT.
I think too that Diaw will mainly play PF. I like your starting 5 even if I rather have Pietrus starting at SG and Foirest coming from the bench.
when france wins both i will tell you which one i see as greater...
Go France!!!
I am pretty excited with the french team.
I am pretty sure that bergeaud will not have a starting 5 for the whole championship.
This guy is in love with coaching and will always try to adjust the lineup to the oponent. Don't forget he was not afraid to use Parker of the bench last year. He is also the coach who will try to select the best team not the best players.
With the 17 available players France can propose and respond to any strategy. here a bunch of possible lineups
Small athletic and defensive :
TP, Gelabale, M.Pietrus, B.Diaw, F.Pietrus
Big athletic (adding Petro and/or Turiaf)
Experienced to slow down the pace with foirest and Weiss in.
Of course 5 players will be cut so it will reduce the possibilities. I am not sure Petro will be in.
But I guess we will still have a very versatile team (thanks to Diaw for that).
Wait and see
Last edited by mathbzh; 07-18-2006 at 04:38 AM.
France small ball scares me more than anything else. If we play France in this tournament i would prefer they go as big as possible.
I want a Spurs medal in each category:
Bowen - Gold
Manu - Silver
Tony - Bronze
Its legit! Could happen!
You read my mind.
I can't get into basketball on the international stage. Soccer I love on the international stage and don't care much for it except for Champions League. International Basketball I don't care much for.
Diaw is the new captain.
Why not tony??
Worked well last summer
somehow i doubt Diaw will go 2/10 from freethrows again.Worked well last summer
I recommend you put this frenchman to guard Lebron or Wade
Its funny cuz Tony will be so key to the Spurs' fortunes next season. If France and the U.S. faced off I'd definitely want him to light it up to get him even more confidence against the premier point guards in the NBA, like Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups. But I'd want the U.S. to sneak the W. ha ha
Tony was the captain for a period last year if remember correctly and it was too much pressure. he was not ready for it. He discussed with coach bergeaud and he decided he did not want to be captain again.
I love the choice of Boris and i am pretty sure Tony pushed for boris to be the captain.
It seems jeanneau has a good chance of being tony's back-up. They are a good fit since jeanneau is a pure pass first organise the team pg.
Petro is far from a sure bet upfront since turiaf and massingue are pushing. Turiaf is the best fit in terms of personality but it is hard to say no to petro' athletism and power in the paint.
What are the expectations of this French team?
They don't seem ready to compete for a medal yet.
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