France concluded their FIBA World Cup campaign with a victory against Ivory Coast, securing an 87-77 win. However, their overall performance in the tournament left much to be desired.
Ivory Coast had an opportunity to secure a place in the Olympic qualification tournaments with a victory, but France proved to be a formidable opponent, ending the FIBA World Cup with a solid 87-77 win.
Isaia Cordinier led the French national team to their third victory in the tournament, the second in the classification round, with 19 points and five rebounds. Rudy Gobert also had one of his best performances of the tournament, contributing 17 points and eight rebounds.
Victoire face à la Côte d'Ivoire.
— Équipes de France de Basket (@FRABasketball) September 2, 2023
Coupe du Monde terminée pour les Bleus. #TeamFranceBasket | #PassionnémentBleu | #FIBAWC | #CIVFRA pic.twitter.com/ybIL761ZaU
Sylvain Francisco added 15 points along with seven assists, while Nando De Colo scored 13 points, and Elie Okobo added 10.
Ivory Coast fought bravely and stayed neck-and-neck with a team filled with NBA and EuroLeague stars, who were considered among the tournament favorites prior to the championship. However, Ivory Coast couldn’t withstand the pressure from Vincent Collet’s team in the final minutes. France closed the game with a 13-2 run.
Nisre ZouZoua scored 18 points for the African team, while Solo Diabate recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 assists. Vafessa Fofana contributed 13 points to the effort.
While France didn’t meet the high expectations set for them before the tournament, they managed to finish on a positive note, and Ivory Coast demonstrated their resilience and competitive spirit throughout the competition.