France vs Cyprus FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers How To Watch

03 Jul 2024

→ Tipoff at 16:00 GMT (17:00 Local Time) on Sunday 24 November 2024.
→ Match to be played at the Arena Futuroscope, Poitiers, France.
→ France shook initial nerves to beat Cyprus in Nicosia.
→ Cyprus kept close before difference in quality showed.

Young French talents look to keep it going as Les Bleus host Cyprus

Young Saint-Quentin star Nolan Traore was allowed to run the show for 23 minutes, as he made his debut in the famous blue jersey scoring 10 points, adding 2 rebounds and 3 assists. It wasn't the night Noa Essengue would have dreamed of, but the 17-year-old also made his debut, racking two turnovers and one steal in under 5 minutes of action.

Bouteille and Makoundou took care of business during Frédéric Fauthoux;s first game in charge, splitting 30 points equally to keep Cyprus at bay. The hosts gave a good showing of themselves, leading for parts of the first and second quarter, and being up ever so slightly even in the third quarter!

Most of the credit goes to red-hot Konstantinos Simitzis who could barely miss, with 6 of his 7 three-point attempts finding the bottom of the net.

Encouraging signs for the Cypriots - will they keep the improvements showing in Poitiers?