Defeated by Lithuania on Saturday in Vienna, the French 3×3 basketball team will not see the final four of the European Cup, unlike the French women, who qualified.
The Blues, led by their Olympic silver medalist Franck Séguéla, lost to Lithuania (21-16) in the quarter-final of the 3×3 European Basketball Cup, Saturday in Vienna, while the French will see the semis.
Without Lucas Dussoulier and Timothé Vergiat, returning to 5-a-side basketball with the aim of continuing the French championship with their clubs Nanterre and Blois, and deprived of Jules Rambaud, the French suffered against the long-distance skills of the Lithuanians.
Trailing 18-14, Seguela and Paul Djoko lacked a long success to reduce the gap, unlike the Lithuanian Janusevicius, who scored 11 points and the decisive two-point basket.
A few minutes before the defeat of the French, the Blue qualified for the semi-finals after their victory against Austria (21-14).
Marie-Eve Paget’s teammates, who experienced a surprise elimination in the group stage of the Olympic tournament, recovered, widening the gap against the Austrians in the second half of the match.
The French will face the Netherlands in the semi-final on Sunday (12:00 pm).
The European Cup brings together 24 teams – 12 for men, 12 for women – divided into groups of three. The semi-finals and finals will take place on Sunday.