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Spain 98, France 85: Behind Pau Gasol, Navarro, Ibaka, Spain makes it back-to-back titles

September 19, 2011

Big congratulations this morning go out from BallinEurope to Team Spain, which defended its European title in besting France in the 2011 FIBA EuroBasket championship game, 98-85.

Particularly brilliant in this final match was Serge Ibaka, who provided five blocks and smothering defense off the bench. Five Spaniards scored in double figures, with tournament MVP Juan Carlos Navarro following up his 35-point barrage against FYR Macedonia with 27, including 12-of-12 from the free throw line, against the French. Pau Gasol put in 17 points to go with 10 rebounds and Jose Calderon also added 17 for the victors.

High scorer for Team France was Tony Parker, with 26 points on 9-of-20 shooting. Nicolas Batum, who many saw as key to Les Bleus’ success in the game, managed just 10 points including a 2-of-8 performance from three-point land. Boris Diaw contributed 12 to go with seven assists.

With the victory, Spain becomes the first team since Yugoslavia of 1997 to repeat as European champions and only the second back-to-back title winner in the post-Soviet era.

Named to the all-tournament team along with Navarro were Parker, Pau Gasol, Bo McCalebb of FYR Macedonia, and Andrei Kirilenko of Russia.

In the bronze-medal game, Russia held off those lovable dark horses of FYR Macedonia, 72-68. These two teams will join Lithuania and Greece in the Olympic qualifying tournament next year, while Spain and France have sealed their bids for the 2012 Games.

The official FIBA writeup follows the break; and if you’ll excuse BiE, a bit of a break may be in order…

(FIBA Europe) – Spain successfully defended their EuroBasket title with another powerful and memorable display in the Final against France.

Having been dominant two years ago in Katowice against Serbia, Sergio Scariolo and his players cruised to the top of the podium once more to deny France an historic first title. Spain simply had too much offensively for France and once they moved 13 points in front early in the third quarter, they never seriously looked like relinquishing their title as they rode out comfortable 98-85 winners.

The opening quarter started at a frantic pace, with Joakim Noah not wasting any time in trying to send out an early message as he threw down two dunks to put France ahead, 8-7.

Spain then began to make some shots with Jose Calderon scoring five quick-fire points and when the lead was extended to 17-12, France coach Vincent Collet called timeout. The teams then indulged in a real shootout as it started raining three-balls with four in succession, and Spain protected their advantage at 25-20 at the end of the opening quarter.

They then streaked nine points ahead and briefly threatened to make a potentially decisive break as they gave France a big test of their title credentials.

Back-to-back threes by Mickael Gelabale and the ever-dangerous Tony Parker limited the damage but the respite was only temporary.

Serge Ibaka was thrilling fans with his defensive plays and with two monstrous blocks already to his name, and a third rejection paved the way for Pau Gasol to dunk his team to their first double-figure lead at 36-26. Straight out of a subsequent timeout, France were repelled by Ibaka twice more as he took his tally of blocked shots to five and Les Bleus were most definitely on the ropes, although certainly not on the canvas.

Well, except for Parker, who was unceremoniously and quite literally pulled down to the floor by Rudy Fernandez. Fernandez was called for an unsportsmanlike foul and for a moment things threatened to get ugly as Spain fumbled for the self-destruct button.

The antics of Fernandez unsettled the rhythm of his team and fired up France, who posted a 7-0 run with Nicolas Batum making a shot from downtown and then throwing down an explosive dunk to make it a five-point game. But Spain managed to regain their composure and as both teams made their way to the locker rooms, they were 50-41 ahead.

The contest was still very much peppered with bad-tempered flashpoints after the interval, but there was little change in the score line as Pau Gasol flushed a dunk to keep his team out comfortably in front at 60-49.
France then rallied with five points in a hurry but, once again, Juan Carlos Navarro continued to maintain his team’s cushion with some big shots.

When Spain started the final quarter with a flourish, a fairy-tale finish for France never looked like materialising. As the minutes ticked down, the Spanish players reveled in their dominance and started the fiesta early, entertaining the huge crowd with some party basketball as they cruised to gold.

Sep 19, 2011ballineurope
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This post was published on September 19, 2011
EuroBasket 2011: Notes, quotes, clips and Fearless Predictions™ for France vs. SpainFYR Macedonia players return to experience “joy of a nation”
Comments: 17
  1. Gabe
    13 years ago

    Russia and Macedonia will be joining will join Lithuania and Greece in the Olympic qualifying tournament, not Lithuania and Slovenia.

    ReplyCancel
  2. migala
    13 years ago

    BIE, if another team, not SPAIN, were winning the title your report would be fully detailed, with many clips, praise and analysis. This lukewarm review totally lacks passion and interest. What a pity.

    ReplyCancel
  3. Ioannis
    13 years ago

    Specially, if this team would be GB 🙂

    ReplyCancel
  4. Jersey case
    13 years ago

    Nice comparison of the teams they will be great.

    ReplyCancel
  5. NETS3
    13 years ago

    http://hoopfellas.blogspot.com/2011/09/blog-post_20.html

    ReplyCancel
    • lorenzen
      13 years ago

      Very nice for what i have been able to translate. Many thanks!

      ReplyCancel
  6. lorenzen
    13 years ago

    Thanks, NETS3, now I will make good use of Google translator!!!!

    ReplyCancel
    • nets3
      13 years ago

      thank you lorenze for reading..take my mail and send me wherever you want

      ReplyCancel
  7. Phileus
    13 years ago

    Spain looks like a very legitimate contender for the 2012 crown. Their line-up has talent that could run will with any NBA team, let alone the slopped-together USA teams of late, and their teamwork is all that one could hope for.

    While Navarro is impressive in international competitions, I don’t think he outclasses any Team USA counterpart, but the US has been weak in the post lately (Dwight Howard, their last best hope at center, did not suit the international game well) while Spain features a Hall-of-Famer and two borderline/potential All-Star talents.

    Other teams have already beaten US “dream teams” with their teamwork and technical skill, but Spain seems to be a legitimate match-up even on just talent alone. Next year should be exciting.

    ReplyCancel
    • Gabe
      13 years ago

      “Slopped-together USA teams of late”? USA teams have always been “slopped together” and have been undefeated in their last two tournaments. And Team USA isn’t just any “NBA team” with Kobe, James, Rose, D-Wade, Melo, Durant, CP3, Westbrook and D-Will…And while you’re right that Dwight was not as dominant in FIBA as in the NBA (partly because Team USA’s offense went through perimeter players) #1 He is probably the best center in the world and #2 The USA won gold last time he was starting at center. And don’t forget USA still has Bosh, Love, Stoudemire, Odom and Chandler (three current All-Stars and two NBA champions). Team USA next summer is not just going to be another “Dream Team” they are going to be a mix of the best players from the two separate teams that went undefeated at the 2008 Olympics and the 2010 World Championship. World look out!!

      ReplyCancel
  8. Dzoni
    13 years ago

    Yeah spain can defently bead USA they have talent they have evertthing …but other teams have beat USA in past ,Argentina ,Lithuania ,Greece ,Serbia … but i will tell you this in next 6,7 years team Serbia will be the strongest in europe ,with couple of aditions in Raduljica ,Nedovic …if no injures like this year Velickovic,Tepic,Rasic were all injured …so i think in future Serbia will again be basketball powerhouse ,but it still has a way to go ,but i espect gold in 2013 …

    ReplyCancel
    • GL
      13 years ago

      Serbia has potential, but at least in 2011 it was unused, to a large part I believe due to psychological reasons. Teodosic suffers from the same arrogance problem that kept Rubio from progressing (he probably thinks he’s equal to Saras of early 2000s but unfortunately that’s not yet the case…) Other players too (e.g. Savanovic could probably win the “best facial expression in front of referees” prize). When they overcome this and get serious, they could win gold or at least medals…

      ReplyCancel
  9. Alex
    13 years ago

    Spain has fairly terrific talent, possibly enough talent to win next year, and definitely enough to be favored to win in 2013. Pau Gasol and Navarro would be a bit older, but Fernandez and Marc Gasol would be in their primes, plus Ibaka, Rubio, and Claver will all be more well-rounded. Serbia is a deep team, and should contend, but they lack the stoundout talents that Spain has.

    They’d likely be a 50-win NBA team with all their size, perimeter shooting, toughness, and teamwork, and, as I’ve alluded, could defeat team USA next year, although nine times out of ten they’d lose if the USA will bring their A-team.

    ReplyCancel
  10. dave m
    13 years ago

    Hello to all. Here in the U.S., we’ve been sweating out the lockout and watching all the overseas ball that we can. I’m a fan of this site and just wanted to extend an invite for any who are interested, to check out my blog, Searching for Slava. It’s been a long summer – my latest post isn’t much more than a fiction excerpt with musings on the NBA owners.
    http://bit.ly/opOnPj

    ReplyCancel
  11. Phileus
    13 years ago

    @ Gabe: Howard is not the best center in the world in international competitions. Rewatch the Spain tape from 2008, he lost his poise, got into foul trouble, and looked out of place. For now, Gasol gets to claim that title. The Spain-USA game was closer than you give it credit for, and Team Spain is just getting better. Don’t get me wrong, I still think Team USA are favorites to win, but it will be hard fight even with the best of them out there.

    @ Dzoni: Yeah I know, I just mean those teams won by playing “smarter” and “better” basketball 🙂 But I just mean that this Spain team is almost even with Team USA just on pure talent of the individual players, strategy and gameplay aside.

    @ Alex: I agree with pretty much everything you said there.

    ReplyCancel
  12. Dzoni
    13 years ago

    @ Alex yeah they lack some talent now ..but in 2 years …when they develop dont forget that they are all player of 22,23,24,25 years of age ..they are very young ,only krstic and savanovic have above 25 ,and they are 28 only… and velickovic best serbian power foward didnt playet at all at eurobasket cause of the injurey ,raduljica will become domint center ..nedovic is a big big time talent ,he is great athlete …so serbia ntime is still coming ..but spain is great ,they are great right now ..i hope they will beat USA next year in finals …

    ReplyCancel
  13. Gabe
    13 years ago

    Almost even on pure talent? Are you nuts?!

    ReplyCancel
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ballineurope
13 years ago 18 Comments FIBA, More2012 Olympic Games, Andrei Kirilenko, Bo McCalebb, Boris Diaw, EuroBasket 2011, Joakim Noah, Jose Calderon, Juan Carlos Navarro, Mickael Gelabale, Nicolas Batum, Pau Gasol, Rudy Fernandez, Serge Ibaka, Sergio Scariolo, Team France, Team Macedonia, Team Russia, Team Spain, Team Yugoslavia, Tony Parker, Vincent Collet
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BallinEurope.com was founded in September 2007 by Christophe Ney (who now runs the excellent scouting-themed website European Prospects) and Tobias Seitz, both then bloggers for FIBA.com with over 10 years’ worth of experience in the professional basketball world each. The mission then was to “provide a very unique perspective of Basketball in and about Europe.”
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