Women's Euro Basketball Championship: France defeats Lithuania and reaches the semi-finals

After dominating Lithuania (83-61) on Tuesday, June 24th in Piraeus, Athens, the French team secured its place in the semi-finals of the Women's Euro Basketball Championship. This fourth consecutive victory allows the French team to continue its flawless run in the competition.

The Olympic runners-up will face the winner of the quarter-final between four-time European champions Spain and the Czech Republic in the next round, which takes place on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. This will potentially lead to a meeting with defending champions Belgium in the final on Sunday. Having faced each other in the semi-finals of Euro 2023 (Belgium won 67-63) and then in the semi-finals of the Paris Olympic Games (France won 81-75), the two teams are the main contenders for continental gold.

Buoyed by an exceptional first quarter - 21 points scored in ten minutes (35-14) and formidable three-point shooting (9/11) - the French team demonstrated their collective fluidity in this semi-final against Lithuania. The day's success was notably built on the contribution of 23-year-old Iliana Rupert (15 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists), formidable from long distance (3/3). The ÇBK Mersin winger was able to count on the support of the French team's top scorer, Janelle Salaün (10 points against Lithuania, 72 in total in the competition), and on captain Valeriane Ayayi (11 points, 2 rebounds).

Their success compensates for the absence of Gabby Williams and Marine Johannès, who are retained in the WNBA. The North American league imposes strict conditions on the presence of players under contract based on their seniority, and franchises are more or less flexible in releasing them during international windows, which overlap with the overseas season.

Despite the absence of its headliners and the withdrawal of Marine Fauthoux, who has a knee injury, France can rely on the depth of its bench. Having come out in first place in qualifying after a difficult start to the competition against Turkey (69-71), Les Bleues secured their place in the quarter-finals in their second outing, against Greece (92-56). They then inflicted a heavy defeat on Switzerland (111-37) on Saturday.

In the first decisive match of the competition, the Olympic vice-champions quickly made the difference again, enjoying a comfortable margin at half-time (56-31). "A quarter-final is 'do or die'. We were doing well, we want to be even better," warned winger Janelle Salaün.

Since 2007, and an early elimination against Latvia, France has not missed the semi-finals in nine consecutive European Championships. A semi-final appearance, followed by as many medals (five silver, two bronze) for a single victory, in 2009. A false note that Frédéric Fauthoux's players intend to make people forget.