• BASKETBALL

    DEFEAT BY FRANCE IN THE GROTL OF ZADAR’S JAZINE

    tsg_news Posted on

    In the penultimate match of the EuroBasket 2025 qualifiers, the Croatian basketball team was defeated by France 83:80 in the Jazine cave in Zadar. At the same time, Bosnia and Herzegovina beat Cyprus 108:62. Thus, Croatia lost all prospects for qualifying for the European Championship.

    Croatia had a great start to the game, leading 5:0, winning 7:2, and then, in the continuation of the first quarter, succumbing to the strong defensive wall of the French, who took a 13:7 lead with an 11-0 series. The visitors were leading 18:9, but Marija Hezonja’s passing of the ball gave Croatia attacking quality, so after 10 minutes of play the score was 20:17 for France.

    In the second quarter, France again escaped to +9 (32:23), and Croatia, in a new surge, came within two points behind (35:33). That’s the difference with which we went to halftime with a score of 37:35 for the visitors.

    Hezonja scored 16 points in the first 20 minutes, and Luka Šamanić scored 8.

    The beginning of the second half entirely belonged to the French, who after four minutes of the game escaped to 49:36, and a little later to +15 (55:40). Those were the key moments of the match after which Josip Sesar’s chosen ones did not find a way to come back. True, a glimmer of hope appeared after a 3-pointer by Borna Kapusta for 59:51 at the end of the third and a basket with an additional throw by Hezonja at the beginning of the last quarter. Still, after those 59:54, the French national team retaliated in a flash and escaped to +9 (65:56).

    Another chance appeared at the very end. Out of nowhere, Croatia brought the game to a dramatic end. Smith hit a 3-pointer for 79:75, Cordinier missed two shots, and Croatia, in their eagerness, made a mistake in passing (Mateo Drežnjak – Hezonja). Theo Maledon solved the question of the winner from the free throw line (81:75), and after successful attacks from both sides, Kapust set the final score with a three-pointer from the center (83.80).

    Mario Hezonja played a big match. He scored 37 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Luka Šamanić scored 13 and Borna Kapusta 10 points. For the French, Theo Maledon scored the most points with 16.

    We had a lot of problems in defense because the French are really powerful athletically. We had a problem in blocking the defensive rebound, which we emphasized as the key to the game. We also had situations where we were 7-8 points behind, so three or four attacks would have reacted badly. France should be congratulated, they were better today. I would like to point out and praise once again the great atmosphere we had today in Jazine. We tried, we did our best. The boys really fought, they spent themselves to the limit and we have nothing to blame them for. It is not in my character to say ‘Tomorrow is a new day’. It is certain that we will analyze this, we can talk about this match, but we cannot avoid that match in Sarajevo, that black hole. I think that third quarter is the key to our failure to qualify for the European Championship and that is what is in our minds all the time. Nevertheless, I think we played bravely and were there somewhere, but they are still more powerful and adapt very well to all changes. In the end, there is no head down. I would have put my head down if we had gone out on the field and not given anything of ourselves. But when it is lost, of course you cannot be satisfied – Josip Sesar, Croatia Head Coach

    We had a feeling that we were close, that we could do it. But every time we got close, they would step up and really showed that they are a great team. I hope that we will play matches in Jazine in the future, because such support from the fans gives us the wind at our backs. It was a fantastic feeling and I hope we will be back here with better results – Toni Perković, Crotia Player

    We played a good defense the entire game. Maybe the only one not against Hezonja. Although he played alone, he did a good job, the key was that he didn’t make threes. In the second half, we controlled the ball better. We talked about it a lot, but we couldn’t imagine it. Every coach and player wants to play in front of this kind of audience. It was nice to play in front of them in this hall, the story is familiar to us. We talked a lot with the players about how they have to focus only on basketball and I think we did a good job – Frederic Fauthoux, France Head Coach

    This was a great match. It was not at all easy to play here. This was an important, qualifying match for Croatia. We came out prepared, our team understood each other very well during the game, we were aggressive defensively, but we had a lot of turnovers, we have to correct that for the next game. We did a good job to the end, I’m happy – Eli Okobo, France Player

    SOURCE: Croatian Football Federation

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