Batum: Loss to Bulgaria should be a wake-up call for France

BOTEVGRAD (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers) - France captain Nicolas Batum warned his team it should not expect to beat Finland in their second game in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 European Qualifiers fourth window unless they start playing like a team again.

Batum made the urgent call to his Les Bleus teammates after they suffered their first loss on the Road to China 2019 - a 74-68 defeat at Bulgaria in their first Group E game of the Second Round.

"In the last five minutes we stopped playing as a team. That's a huge mistake. We're not good like that. We're great when we play together. But if we stop playing like a team we can lose to anybody. Anybody can beat us," warned Batum, who picked up 17 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in the loss.

France were held to just two Nando De Colo free throws in the final 6 minutes of play and that led to the loss against the home side. But Batum insists they did not take Bulgaria lightly.

"We were not ready for them. That doesn't mean we underestimated them," Batum clarified. "Everything that happened tonight we expected it. We're not surprised about anything. We should have done a better job."

Batum, who took over the captaincy of the team following the retirement of Boris Diaw, said France should see the loss as a wake-up call as they move forward in the Qualifiers.

"We have to get back to work. We have two days before the next game. So this has to be a good wake-up call for us," Batum said. "If we don't play good team basketball, we can lose against anyone. Anyone can beat us."

France will look to bounce back on Sunday when they host Finland in Montpellier. Vincent Collet's team have a 6-1 record and top Group E, while Finland come into the game with a 4-3 mark.

FIBA