Spain was left out of the fight for the medals after falling in the quarterfinals against France (64-67) in a duel where the little success in the shooting of the Spanish (34%) ended up condemning them against a very robust France commanded by Johannes, decisive (18).
ESP
FRA
Spain, 64
(16 + 14 + 18 + 16): Dominguez (7), Ouviña (11), Torrens (10), Ndour (16), Gil (4) -starting five-, Palau (0), Cazorla (12), Carrera (2), Houses (2), Count (0).
France, 67
(21 + 15 + 19 + 12): Miyem (9), Gruda (6), Michel (2), Williams (11), Duchet (8) -starting five-, Fauthaux (0), Chartereau (4), Ciak (1), Vukolsavjevic (4), Rupert (4), Johannes (18).
Referees:
Manuel Mazzoni (ITA), Andreia Silva (BRA) and Scott Beker (AUS). Alba Torrens, eliminated for personal fouls.
Incidents:
Quarterfinal match of the women’s tournament, played at the Saitama Super Arena, behind closed doors.
A certainly disappointing summer for the women’s team that he could not fight for the medals in the Eurobasket of Spain and neither has achieved it at the Tokyo Games after falling into a misguided match of the Spanish women.
Spain started the duel against the French with confidence, and thanks to the initial speed and the heart, achieved his first income (9-4). With Ouviña and Domínguez leading the team, the entry into the party was more than promising.
France reacts
Although those good feelings faded to the one that two players started important of the French. Williams scored two consecutive triples and turned the electronic around (11-12).
Spain missed easy shots to basket and France grew in the last minutes, with another player who did damage: Johannes, who achieved seven consecutive points for the finery, achieving his highest income at the end of the quarter (16-21).
That mahe end of the first quarter hurt the morale of the Mondelo team, who totally lost control of the game while France was growing by leaps and bounds. There was no way to score and the game was opting for the French (18-25).
Spain, on the precipice
Things couldn’t get worse, with Alba Torrens committing her third foul very soon. And France had a maximum of 14 (19-33). Reaction was necessary, and it came from the hand of one of Spain’s key players, Astou Ndour.
The Spanish defense hardened – barely committed fouls until then – and was able to start running a little more and allowed Ndour (12 points at halftime) to receive good bwings under the rim to lead to the reaction of Spain.
After the worst moment, those of Lucas Mondelo reduced the differences to six at intermission (30-36) and the feeling that he had been led back to the game and scoring crisis.
Determined to turn it around
Spain came out determined to turn the game around and with more struggle than success, Mondelo’s men came within just two points (38-40). It seemed that the comeback was coming. But it was only an illusion.
Johannes hammered the Spanish ring again and the French difference rose again to 10 points (38-48). Attempts to reduce rent were fading because Spanish women they kept missing many shots, while the tough French defense allowed him to control the game with 10 minutes ahead (48-55).
Mondelo I put the experienced Laia Palau on the track to try to put that point of experience at the decisive moment. And went Cazorla, in charge of scaring the French. Two consecutive actions of theirs brought them closer to only two points (53-55).
Adjusted finish
France stopped the game because the dynamic was for Mondelo’s. It was time to flip the scoreboard. A triple by Maite Cazorla gave Spain the first advantage in a long time (58-57) and Astour extended it (60-57) to three minutes from the end.
But France did not lower its arms with Miyem’s wisdom, and Spain failed too far below the rim, with a misguided Laura Gil, and France came ahead in the last 47 seconds (62-63). Johannes, at the limit of possession, managed to score 23 ‘from the end (62-65).
Spain scored quickly (64-65) and forced the foul on Duchet, who only scored a free kick. Now the difference was two, with 16 seconds to play.
But incomprehensibly, Cazorla lost a decisive ball, and ended up condemning the Spanish women who were left without a medal option in the Games after suffering a tough defeat against France (64-67) who was better in the game as a whole.