Basketball at the Olympic Games – Sydney 2000: France in silver

After three editions where it failed to qualify, France made its comeback in the basketball event at the 2000 Olympic Games. While it has only one medal on the world stage so far (the silver at the 1948 Olympic Games) and that it has not made the slightest podium since 1959 (third at EuroBasket), France will create a feat unlike anything that had been achieved previously in the history of the French basketball.

Also read: Basketball at the Olympic Games – Atlanta 1996: the return to the forefront of the Team USA women’s team

A team of good players

It was a team of good players. Twelve starting guys in a European first division team, in France, Italy or Spain. We have Limougauds and Orthéziens, after all the nineties are not far away at all, but we already have players from Paris and ASVEL in the squad. We would have liked to count on a few NBA caliber players, but Tariq Abdul-Wahad was not selected by Jean-Pierre de Vincenzi (after the Euro 1999 controversy surrounding his injury), while Jérôme Moïso, just drafted , still seems too young. France will have to make do with what it has.

Laurent Sciarra from Paris Basket Racing to ensure the lead, assisted by Moustapha Sonko from ASVEL. The starting back is the star of the team, Antoine Rigaudeau of Virtus Bologna, who can count on Makan Dioumassi (Le Mans Sarthe Basket) and Laurent Foirest (Tau Vitoria) to replace him. At station 3, it is Stéphane Risacher from Pau-Orthez who starts the matches, ahead of Yann Bonato from Limoges CSP. The power forward is the leaping captain of the team, Jim Bilba then at ASVEL after a legendary career in Limoges. Behind him, Thierry Gadou, also at Pau-Orthez and Crawford Palmer, a naturalized American playing at Joventut Badalona. The pivot is Frederic Weis from Limoges CS, sometimes substituted by Cyril Julian from Paris Basket Racing.

Unconvincing preparation matches, no better group stage

This team is therefore qualified for the 2000 Olympic Games, in Sydney, Australia. The edition takes place in the fall, during the second half of September. France has not competed in the Olympic Games since the 1984 edition, where it suffered a bit of shame by finishing in eleventh place. But this year, things are different and the Blues are on a good dynamic before tackling Oceania. Seven wins from his nine matches played before joining Australia this year, not too bad. Unfortunately, this dynamic does not really continue over the three preparation matches for the competition. A first defeat of 15 pawns against Spain, a narrow victory against Italy before taking 25 against Yugoslavia.

Not ideal for building confidence. The worst part is that the group stage won’t really be better. The Blues gained confidence from the start by putting New Zealand in misery (76-50) but came out with a disastrous match (63-81) against the Lithuanians of Sarunas Jasikevicius two days later. There will be a victory (82-70) against China’s Yao Ming (14 points, 3 blocks), Wang Zhizhi and Batere Menke, snatched thanks to 22 points from Laurent Foirest and a big boost from Antoine Rigaudeau. (29 points) who scored 20 points in a row at the end of the match. But after that, France lost against the Italians (57-67) whom they had beaten in preparation. It makes a record of 2-2, and the French have one last opponent to determine their fate: the Americans of Team USA.

First pressure from the Americans

We lied a little when we said that there was no NBA caliber player in this French team. A player of this caliber, there is indeed one. Frédéric Weis was drafted into the NBA. And not in the ninth round with the territorial pick in an obscure franchise. No, we are talking about the fifteenth choice of the 1999 Draft, selected by the New York Knicks, who is in France’s racket. Stayed an extra year in Europe, just to gain a little more experience before tackling the NBA, he experienced the Summer League and he should join the Big League next season.

The problem is that Team USA, NBA players, well they have 12, and not guys who are fighting for a place in their team’s rotation. No Shaq, no Kobe, no Duncan or Grant Hill of course, but still Kevin Garnett, Jason Kidd, Gary Payton, Ray Allen, Tim Hardaway and Vince Carter to name a few. All-NBAer en masse. And these guys, they don’t give a damn about the France team and its only player who could play a few NBA games the following season. They’re completely over it. And besides, they themselves go over. Literally.

Vince Carter​ turned 40 last week. Relive 1 of the greatest dunks in basketball history served by Vinsanity himself. (via @OlympicChannel) pic.twitter.com/jIzLuREafT

— For The Win (@ForTheWin) January 30, 2017

In the middle of the second half, Vince Carter does the unthinkable and climbs Mount Weis and its 2m18. On an interception after a risky French pass, Carter rose and thought he would never come down. Perhaps the greatest dunk in history. The image is perfect. The United States and France do not play in the same league. Laurent Sciarra may struggle like hell in this match (21 points, 4 assists), the Americans led by a great Kevin Garnett (19 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists) give no quarter and defeat the French 106 to 94.

Yes, but.

At the time, it was enough to be in the first four of one of the two groups of six teams to qualify for the next round. With two victories for three defeats, the Blues are behind the United States (five victories), Italy and Lithuania (three victories) and have the same record as the Chinese. But their victory against Yao Ming’s teammates acts as a tie-breaker and qualifies them for the next round, the quarter-finals.

On the right side of the board

The French are finally lucky. The results of the groups mean that the Blues avoid the side of the table of the final stages where the unbeatable Americans, the terrifying Yugoslavs, the dangerous Lithuanians, as well as the Russian armada are found. France’s opponent in the quarterfinals? These are the Canadians.

Canada arrived at the top of its group, creating a surprise against Yugoslavia and taking advantage of a formidable young leader with a supernatural vision of the game and a silky shot: a certain Steve Nash. Surely this Canadian team looks down on the French a little, whatever happens, the pressure is certainly not on the Blues’ side. They have everything to gain and nothing to lose against the other North American team and they want to create a surprise.

If we were to make a liquid metaphor, after the start of the Australian adventure comparable to the stagnant fleet coming from the dog’s bowl, the rest of the competition will be more similar to mineral water filtered by the mountains for the French. In this first finals match, they suffocate the Canadians and give Steve Nash a nightmare by playing the Makan Dioumassi card. The defensive specialist who will only play eight minutes for the rest of the competition is sent 30 minutes into the arena to thwart the Canadian conductor.

Bet largely won. Steve Nash finished the match at 20% from 3-point range and with an astronomical number of turnovers. Nash lost 9 over the entire match, an unprecedented stat in FIBA. The French came out on top collectively and won 68 to 63 against the Canadians. We can say it, basketball France is in the semi-finals of the Olympic Games.

The last square

The Blues’ next opponent is the Australian hosts who have just narrowly won against the Italians and… yeah, the kangaroos are scared. After having achieved its benchmark match, the French Team has found its confidence and is in the flow. The French exude a confidence and security which destabilizes Luc Longley’s Australia (8 points, 3 rebounds). The Bulls pivot finds on his way a devilishly strong and impactful Frédéric Weis (11 points, 9 rebounds). Antoine Rigaudeau (13 points) and Lolo Sciarra (16 points and 7 assists) are also in good shape, and France as a whole has a close to perfect match.

Nobody exceeds 10 points among the Australians, France mercilessly crushes them 52 to 76. The French no longer make anyone laugh and will meet the Americans in the Final of the Olympic Games.

Fourth match in a row against English speakers for Laurent, Antoine, Frédéric and the others. The United States has just won two gold medals in the last two editions. The Ricans have never lost since NBA athletes were allowed to become Olympians. But this United States team is showing signs of fragility. She only won by 15 points against Russia before snatching a thrilling victory against the Lithuanians in the semi-finals (85-83).

Unfortunately, the Americans dominate the first half against the French. Vince Carter scores 7 points in two minutes, the French cannot make the Americans doubt.

But Laurent Sciarra (you again?) and Stéphane Risacher sound the revolt in the second half. And with only four minutes left on the clock in the second half, on a long 3-pointer from Tonio Rigaudeau, France breaks the dynamic that had been established and the US is only 4 points ahead. Rudy Tomjanovich takes a time-out. The Ricans are not serene. The French are no longer in good condition. They gave everything in this tournament, and were unable to respond to the physical challenge of the Americans coming out of the timeout. The French ultimately lost 85 to 75 and will have to be content (with joy) with a silver medal. They looked Team USA straight in the eye, and foreshadowed future (very) good episodes of Franco-American rivalry.

“We loved each other. It was a group that loved each other and was generous.” – Antoine Rigaudeau

A bittersweet ending, for a team that no one saw going this far. Antoine, Stéphane, Laurent, Frédéric, Jim and the others placed the hexagon on the basketball world map from the beginning of the third millennium, in a completely new way. The fruits of their exploit will benefit all of French basketball, and more than ever today.

The 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney

• From September 17 to October 1, 2000
• The Dome, The SuperDome (Sydney)
• 12 Men’s teams / 12 Women’s teams
• Gold – United States / United States
• Silver – France / Australia
• Bronze – Lithuania / Brazil