FRA - Zoned-out France still advance

VILNIUS (EuroBasket 2011) - France have been one of the best teams at the EuroBasket as they attempt to earn a trip to the London Games.

Getting to the Final would ensure their place at the Olympics.

Coming in third, fourth, fifth or sixth would at least give the French a spot in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

In Siauliai, where EuroBasket Group B games were played, France overcame Latvia, Israel, Germany, Italy and Serbia and arrived in Vilnius as one of just two unbeaten sides, with Russia the other.

On Wednesday, they almost imploded against a dangerous Turkey but ultimately survived, 68-64.

Lithuania's 100-90 victory over Serbia in the last game of Wednesday night in Vilnius ensured France's progression to the last eight.

Events in the fourth quarter of Turkey's game against France almost created a different scenario, though.

Trailing by 15 at the beginning of the frame, Turkey coach Orhun Ene put his team into a two-three zone on defense and cut off the interior game of Les Bleus.

France spread the floor, worked the time off the clock and took jump shots.

The only problem was, they missed them all.

When the final buzzer sounded, France coach Collet looked at the stat sheet and saw that his team had gone zero for nine from behind the arc over the last 10 minutes of the contest.

Turkey were woeful shooting the ball, too, but did manage to hit enough shots to make things very interesting.

They pulled to within 65-64 when Emir Preldzic buried a three-pointer.

Turkey then fouled France's Tony Parker with five seconds to play and the San Antonio Spurs superstar sank both free-throws.

After an Ene timeout for Turkey, Preldzic tried to inbound the ball so his team could attempt a potential game-tying three-pointer. He failed to get the ball inbounds, though, before the allotted five seconds and possession went back to the French.

"We relaxed a little bit and they put the zone and we couldn't make a shots," France coach Vincent Collet said.

"We were scared as the game continued after we missed seven or eight open shots."

Collet was nevertheless happy.

"We are very happy to win this game because for us it's a big step for the Quarter-Finals," Collet said.

By the end of the night, France had stepped into the Quarter-Finals because of Serbia's loss to Lithuania.

FIBA