Ayayi: A win for Dumerc and the French people

RIO DE JANEIRO (Rio 2016 Olympic Games) - Celine Dumerc may have been ruled out from the Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament two days before the competition started but she remained very much a key member of the French team and it came as no surprise that Valeriane Ayayi dedicated France's 68-63 win over Canada to her.

"When we lost Celine Dumerc, everyone was saying that we were not going to move out of the Group Phase. But we fought together. This victory is for France and for Celine Dumerc. She was there for everybody, and we just wanted to fight for her and win this game for her. We kept her in our minds," Ayayi explained.

How France came back from a 13-point first-half deficit to advance to the Semi-Finals for the second time in a row comes down to a desperate feeling of wanting to stay in Rio, according to Ayayi.

"At the start of the second quarter, we started to defend hard and they started to turn the ball over. This is a Quarter-Final at the Olympic Games and we didn't want to go home," she said. "We stuck together, defended hard and we got the win. "

In winning, the French set up a Semi-Final showdown against the USA, a team they lost to in the Gold Medal Game at the London Olympics four years ago. 

Ayayi wasn't part of that team, but she faced the Americans in the build-up to the Rio Olympics last month. 

Although France lost that game, the 22-year-old insists they will be prepared.  

"We played a good first half against the USA, but the second half was more difficult for us. But, it's a game to play... we just have to fight, and we'll see at the end of the game."

FIBA