Following a challenging opening defeat against Canada, France faced Latvia in the second round of the FIBA World Cup.
Despite being considered one of the tournament’s top contenders, France experienced a heartbreaking 88:86 loss to Latvia, effectively marking their elimination from the group stage.
In the end De Colo got unsportsmanlike foul for this.
— Basketball Sphere (EN) (@BSphere_) August 27, 2023
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The first quarter was marked by exceptional efficiency, with both teams collectively sinking a remarkable 11 three-pointers. Evan Fournier punctuated the opening quarter with a buzzer-beater, leaving the score at 33-26. France managed to establish a nine-point lead on two occasions, but Latvia, fueled by strong shooting, consistently closed the gap, resulting in a halftime score of 53-49 in favor of France.
A series of unfortunate events at the beginning of the third quarter allowed Latvia to build a double-digit lead. However, they quickly bounced back, narrowing the deficit to just two possessions. A strong finish by France secured a 74-62 advantage going into the final ten minutes. Despite holding a double-digit lead, France once again squandered their advantage. Nando de Colo’s ejection due to two unsportsmanlike fouls added further uncertainty to the match.
With only 37 seconds remaining, Latvia took their first lead, ultimately securing a significant triumph and dashing France’s hopes of advancing to the next phase.
Arturs Zagars emerged as the leading scorer for France, contributing 22 points, closely followed by Rolands Smits with 20 points. In the losing effort, Evan Fournier led France with an impressive 27 points.
As the preliminary stage of the FIBA World Cup enters its final round, France is set to face Lebanon, while Latvia will test their mettle against Canada. For France, this serves as a must-win match, though their aspirations of progressing beyond the group stage have been diminished by the recent upset.