Group D - France Roster

Time to begin the predictions of the roster.. maybe a prize for those who get the most correct prior to the announcement

France announce plans, preliminary squad

A preliminary list of 29 players were announced 10 days ago, here's the list:

In bold: players who competed in the Worlds
In italic: players who won EuroBasket in 2009

Marielle Amant - 190cm - 21 - C - Arras Pays d’Artois (FRA)
Mélanie Arnaud - 184cm - 22 - SF - COB Calais (FRA)
Camille Aubert - 170cm - 22 - PG - Toulouse MB (FRA)
Clémence Beikes - 178cm - 27 - PG/SG - UHB Saint Amand (FRA)
Virginie Brémont - 177cm - 21 - PG - Lattes-Montpellier BA (FRA)
Ana-Maria Cata-Chitiga - 195 - 21 - F/C - Tarbes GB (FRA)
Jennifer Digbeu - 190 - 24 - F - Bourges Basket (FRA)
Céline Dumerc - 169cm - 28 - PG - UMMC Ekaterinburg (RUS)
Naura El Gargati - 192cm - 29 - PF - Tarbes GB (FRA)
Elodie Godin - 190cm - 25 - F/C - Cras Taranto (ITA)
Emilie Gomis - 180cm - 27 - SG - ESB Villeneuve d’Ascq (FRA)
Johanne Gomis - 179cm - 25 - SF - Arras Pays d’Artois (FRA)
Sandrine Gruda - 195cm - 23 - C - UMMC Ekaterinburg (RUS)
Sylvie Gruszczynski - 172cm - 24 - PG/SG - COB Calais (FRA)
Pauline Jannault-Lo - 192cm - 24 - F - Tarbes GB (FRA)
Laëtitia Kamba - 187cm - 24 - PF - UHB Saint Amand (FRA)
Pauline Krawczyk - 183cm - 26 - SF - Lotos Gdynia (POL)
Marion Laborde - 178cm - 24 - SF - Basket Landes (FRA)
Anaël Lardy - 170cm - 23 - PG - Bourges Basket (FRA)
Florence Lepron - 182cm - 26 - G - Tarbes GB (FRA)
Sarah Michel - 180cm - 22 - SG/SF - Arras Pays d’Artois (FRA)
Endéné Miyem - 188cm - 22 - PF - Bourges Basket (FRA)
Emmeline Ndongue - 192cm - 27 - C - Bourges Basket (FRA)
Sarra Ouerghi - 182cm - 25 - SF/PF - FCBA Charleville-Mézières (FRA)
Paoline Salagnac - 176cm - 27 - SG - Bourges Basket (FRA)
Doriane Tahane - 192cm - 21 - C - Nantes-Rézé Basket (FRA)
Ingrid Tanqueray - 166cm - 22 - PG - ESB Villeneuve d’Ascq (FRA)
Pauline Thizy - 191cm - 21 - C - USO Mondeville (FRA)
Isabelle Yacoubou-Dehoui - 190cm - 25 - C - Famila Schio (ITA)

Training camp starts on May 2nd in Bourges (finals of the French league start on May 1st between Bourges and Tarbes)

TBH France seems to have the deepest talent pool, combine that with the great coaching of Pierre Vincent and there are only a few scenarios in which they don't make the semi-finals.

Official list of 24 players

Pierre Vincent announced yesterday the official list given to FIBA:

In bold: players who competed in the Worlds
In italic: players who won EuroBasket in 2009
Underlined: players not on the preliminary list of 29 players announced ealier this month

Mélanie Arnaud - 184cm - 22 - SF - COB Calais (FRA)
Camille Aubert - 170cm - 22 - PG - Toulouse MB (FRA)
Clémence Beikes - 178cm - 27 - PG/SG - UHB Saint Amand (FRA)
Elodie Bertal - 192cm - 27 - PF - ESB Villeneuve d’Ascq
Virginie Brémont - 177cm - 21 - PG - Lattes-Montpellier BA (FRA)
Ana-Maria Cata-Chitiga - 195 - 21 - F/C - Tarbes GB (FRA)
Jennifer Digbeu - 190 - 24 - F - Bourges Basket (FRA)
Céline Dumerc - 169cm - 28 - PG - UMMC Ekaterinburg (RUS)
Naura El Gargati - 192cm - 29 - PF - Tarbes GB (FRA)
Emilie Gomis - 180cm - 27 - SG - ESB Villeneuve d’Ascq (FRA)
Sandrine Gruda - 195cm - 23 - C - UMMC Ekaterinburg (RUS)
Sylvie Gruszczynski - 172cm - 24 - PG/SG - COB Calais (FRA)
Pauline Jannault-Lo - 192cm - 24 - F - Tarbes GB (FRA)
Laëtitia Kamba - 187cm - 24 - PF - UHB Saint Amand (FRA)
Pauline Krawczyk - 183cm - 26 - SF - Lotos Gdynia (POL)
Marion Laborde - 178cm - 24 - SF - Basket Landes (FRA)
Anaël Lardy - 170cm - 23 - PG - Bourges Basket (FRA)
Edwige Lawson-Wade - 166cm - 31 - PG - Ros Casares Valencia (ESP)
Florence Lepron - 182cm - 26 - G - Tarbes GB (FRA)
Endéné Miyem - 188cm - 22 - PF - Bourges Basket (FRA)
Emmeline Ndongue - 192cm - 27 - C - Bourges Basket (FRA)
Paoline Salagnac - 176cm - 27 - SG - Bourges Basket (FRA)
Ingrid Tanqueray - 166cm - 22 - PG - ESB Villeneuve d’Ascq (FRA))
Isabelle Yacoubou-Dehoui - 190cm - 25 - C - Famila Schio (ITA)

Noteworthy addition: Lawson-wade who, for the past few years had put aside the national team to compete in the WNBA and spend more time with family. She was on the team that won the EuroBasket 2001 and she has 153 NT selections (the most among the players on the list) from 1998 to 2007.

I am fascinated Lorely

Who would be your Final 15 players (I will give you an extra three rather than 12)

Paulball Nilsen wrote:Who would be your Final 15 players (I will give you an extra three rather than 12)

Unfortunately, there quite a few players I've never seen so I would just choose the ones I'm familiar with.

And looks like it's 14 players now (12 for each game).

Del grupo de trabajo sólo 14 jugadoras podrán viajar a Polonia y el Seleccionador podrá realizar convocatorias para cada encuentro pudiendo decidir los descartes hasta una hora antes de cada partido.

From Una lista para soñar

FYI the 14 player rule is also in FIBA Europe Regulations under Eurobasket Women. There's also written that the teams have to cover all the costs for the extra one or two players they bring.

Yep, I understand the rules, I was just curious which 15 players you would choose ou of that big roster. I was being generous as I know it is tough to trim down - andeven more so when Coach Vincent chooses only 12 for the games

16 players will participate to the next training camp in Divonne-les-Bains (19-26 May):

16 players for Divonne

In bold: players who competed in the Worlds
In italic: players who won EuroBasket in 2009

Clémence Beikes - 178cm - 27 - PG/SG - UHB Saint Amand (FRA)
Aurélie Bonan - 187cm - 27 - PF - USO Mondeville (FRA) >> not on the 24 players list given to the FIBA
Ana-Maria Cata-Chitiga - 195 - 21 - F/C - Tarbes GB (FRA)
Jennifer Digbeu - 190 - 24 - F - Bourges Basket (FRA)
Céline Dumerc - 169cm - 28 - PG - UMMC Ekaterinburg (RUS)
Emilie Gomis - 180cm - 27 - SG - ESB Villeneuve d’Ascq (FRA)
Sandrine Gruda - 195cm - 23 - C - UMMC Ekaterinburg (RUS)
Pauline Krawczyk - 183cm - 26 - SF - Lotos Gdynia (POL)
Marion Laborde - 178cm - 24 - SF - Basket Landes (FRA)
Anaël Lardy - 170cm - 23 - PG - Bourges Basket (FRA)
Edwige Lawson-Wade - 166cm - 31 - PG - Ros Casares Valencia (ESP)
Florence Lepron - 182cm - 26 - G - Tarbes GB (FRA)
Endéné Miyem - 188cm - 22 - PF - Bourges Basket (FRA)
Emmeline Ndongue - 192cm - 27 - C - Bourges Basket (FRA)
Paoline Salagnac - 176cm - 27 - SG - Bourges Basket (FRA)
Isabelle Yacoubou-Dehoui - 190cm - 25 - C - Famila Schio (ITA)

So this is the final 16 from which the final line-up will be taken?

It's what I thought but one player wasn't on the list given to FIBA so that's bugging me. Still, the release says those are the players that will go on with the preparation for the Eurobasket so i'm still assuming the final roster will be composed of those players. Okay, that's 3 lines to say that I don't really know

One of the sweetest looking shots among post players in the world, belonging to Sandrine Gruda, is spending her days off from NT camp to work on her shooting. Be afraid, Europe!

http://www.nantes.maville.com/actu/actudet_-Actualite-l-homme-qui-murmurait-a-l-oreille-des-sportifs_-1801338_actu.Htm

Roster down to 14 players

Anaël Lardy & Paoline Salagnac have been cut from the final roster but remain available if necessary while France will play their 1st exhibition game tonight.

The 12 for the Euro

The roster is set, Pauline Krawczyk & Ana Maria Cata Chitiga were cut today.

Clémence Beikes - 178cm - 27 - PG/SG
Aurélie Bonan - 187cm - 27 - PF
Jennifer Digbeu - 190 - 24 - F
Céline Dumerc - 169cm - 28 - PG
Emilie Gomis - 180cm - 27 - SG
Sandrine Gruda - 195cm - 23 - C
Marion Laborde - 178cm - 24 - SF
Edwige Lawson-Wade - 166cm - 31 - PG
Florence Lepron - 182cm - 26 - G
Endéné Miyem - 188cm - 22 - PF
Emmeline Ndongue - 192cm - 27 - C
Isabelle Yacoubou-Dehoui - 190cm - 25 - C

That post rotation still scares the crap out of me. Combine that with the best point guard in Europe and I'm not sure why the most recent odds I saw had Russia as strong favourites for this tournament...

Exactly what I wrote in the Team Profile Richyyy - your are so spot on with that.

I think they are great value with that frontcourt and Dumerc pulling the strings

To Do List:

On June 19 afternoon send candy with laxatives to Dumerc's and Lawson-Wade's rooms.

Since collapse of USSR no team has won two times in a row, maybe this is the cause why France is underrated;) Historia magistra vitae est French could be the first, but don't forget Spaniards as well.

Team Profile!

http://www.fibaeurope.com/coid_7RttgB63JLgA,O6O1InrK0.articleMode_on.html

Richyyy wrote:That post rotation still scares the crap out of me. Combine that with the best point guard in Europe and I'm not sure why the most recent odds I saw had Russia as strong favourites for this tournament...

As an Asian, team francais makes itself known only the recent years. LFB has relatively less WNBA players each year, the best (the most famous WNBA stars) non-european players played in RSL. It is UMMC and Spartak make Asian fans attach their eyes on EWL. 2009 Eurobasket makes me know about the French team. Gruda, Miyem, Ndongue, Yacoubou, are talented and young, I have no doubt that Celine Dumerc is the best PG in Europe.

Ndongue is out for the rest of the tournament with a serious Achille tendon injury diagnosed by physical examination after the game yesterday.