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Argentina 80, France 66: Scenes from old man Scola’s work bench

Honestly? Needed way more Ntilikina.

Argentina v France: Semi-finals - FIBA World Cup 2019 Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

Tough loss for France tonight in China. Argentina’s defense was too gluey for Evan Fournier and Nando de Colo to get out of first gear. French coach Vincent Collet decided to double down on his veteran wings, subbing out Frank Ntilikina for Andrew Albicy to start the second half. Rudy Gobert was stuck in his head all game. The credit goes to the Argentines. Luis Scola had a masterful game and France never even came close to figuring him out.

Ntilikina was actually the best player for France and had a barrage of great moves. Scoring for himself and creating chances for teammates, keeping a flicker of hope alive. Alas, his teammates elected to take solo voyages, leading to the whole expedition crew’s unceremonious demise.

This sorta thing, excellent defense and so much more. Frank got a raw deal. I guess they don’t like being carried by a 21 year old kid. It’s gonna suck saying that 82 more times this year.

France will play one more game for the bronze on Sunday against Australia. The French will certainly be seeking revenge for their two point loss on Monday. Full recap later today, hang loose.