In a more challenging match than anticipated, France secured a victory against Lebanon with a score of 85:79 in the third round of Group H at the FIBA World Cup.
The French team entered the game without most of their centerline players. Rudy Gobert was sidelined due to a knee injury, Moustapha Fall due to a toothache, and Mathias Lessort was rested.
Because of this, Vincent Collet started the match with an unusually small lineup. Four guards and Guerschon Yabusele were tasked with breaking down the opposition, but they struggled to do so. On the contrary, the inspired performance of Wael Arakji saw him score an impressive 21 points in the first half, during which Lebanon held a double-digit lead. In a magical turn of events, France managed to turn the game around, but only held a one-point lead going into halftime.
France holds off Lebanon and gets their first win of the #FIBAWC. โ๏ธ#FIBAWC x #WinForFrance ๐ซ๐ท
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 ๐ (@FIBAWC) August 29, 2023
Instead of maintaining the same momentum, Collet’s team seemed to relax again. This time, Arakji received support from his teammates. As time passed, Lebanon remained a persistent contender. Not only that, but after Arakji’s successful free throw in the last 10 minutes, they entered the final quarter with a half-point advantage. Despite over 30 minutes of excellent play by Lebanon, it wasn’t enough to secure a sensation. Elie Okobo took matters into his own hands in the closing moments, and with the help of Nicolas Batum’s crucial three-pointer, France ultimately turned the tide in their favor.
The top scorers for the winning side were Yabusele with 18 points and Evan Fournier with 17 points, while Arakji led the defeated side with 29 points, accompanied by Ali Haidar with 12 points. As the FIBA World Cup group stage concludes, France looks to their next challenges while Lebanon reflects on their performance.