Bilal Coulibaly won’t make excuses for Team France: « We didn’t give 100% »
Bilal Coulibaly gave a candid analysis after France’s loss to Israel (82-69) on Sunday in Katowice, during their third group stage match of EuroBasket 2025. The disappointed French team couldn’t find solutions against their opponent’s zone defense, ending their streak after two victories.
« We didn’t play together »
According to the Washington Wizards guard, France’s main issue was their collective play. « We should have played much more together, we didn’t do it enough. Against the zone defense, we should have passed the ball more, had more movement but we didn’t move well enough to help Guerschon down low. It was a poor collective performance, » he regretted.
A defeat to digest quickly
While the final score difference could matter in case of a tie in the group, Coulibaly refuses to hide behind circumstances with a game just 24 hours earlier against Slovenia. « Honestly, we just played. We tried to do what we could… But sometimes it doesn’t work out. It’s true we took very quick 3-point shots, » he admitted.
Asked about Alexandre Sarr’s absence and frequent tactical changes, the guard was clear: « Yes, it’s tough, but we need to adapt. We’re professionals. These things happen. Now we need to move on. »
Focus on France – Poland
The French team must bounce back quickly before a decisive clash against Poland on Tuesday, which could determine the group’s first place. « We’ll fight hard. We’ll try to get back our defensive impact from the start and maintain it throughout the game, » assured Coulibaly, turning this first defeat into a lesson for the rest of the tournament.
In Katowice,
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