FIBA World Cup 2014 results & highlights showed how France scored a come-from-behind victory against Lithuania, 95-93, to take the bronze medal in the Spain 2014 tournament.
Lithuania, who lost to mighty Team USA in the semifinals of the tournament, was comfortably ahead by seven points heading into the final period, but France made a huge rally down the stretch.
NBA veteran Boris Diaw scored on two crucial layups down the stretch to give France a four-point lead with less than a minute left to play in the game, before French guard Thomas Heurtel made it a six-point game.
Lithuania pulled within a point after Adas Juskevicius scored five straight points. The game then went to a virtual free-throw shooting contest before France managed to hold on, taking the bronze medal in the prestigious tournament.
Nicolas Batum had another solid performance for France as he finished with 27 points on 8-for-12 shooting from the field, while Diaw posted 15 points and four assists. Joffrey Lauvergne posted 13 points and nine rebounds, Heurtel also chipped in 13 points, while Antoine Diot added eight points for the French side.
France head coach Vincent Collet had nothing but praises for his squad for reaching their target, which is France's best finish in a world championship since finishing fourth in 1954.
"When we started this adventure in July we had the goal of finishing in the top three," Collet said in a FIBA World Cup 2014 results & highlights interview.
Diaw also added that the experience that they gained in the tournament, particularly from their painful defeat to Serbia in the semis, will be beneficial to their young players in the long run.
"That's something all the players, the younger players can use as experience. I don't think that they had this kind of loss before. That's something that stays in your head and I think it will serve us in the future," Diaw said.
With their World Cup campaign over, France will now set their sights to the EuroBasket 2015. Collet is hoping that they can carry the momentum to next year's European championship, which will be staged in France.
"I am very happy with this young group getting a very good result," Collet said. "We have EuroBasket next year in France and our next goal is to go to Rio in two years. This is the main goal of this team because we would like to be in the same place in Rio 2016."
Check out more FIBA World Cup 2014 results & highlights information on the official tournament website through this link.
