Málaga (Spain), Jul 8 (EFE) .- The Spanish team won this Thursday in their third friendly preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games against France by 86-77 in a match they dominated with Ricky Rubio (16 points ) and Sergio Rodríguez (14) as protagonists in a Carpena that saw how Juancho Hernangómez left injured.
Spain took a valuable victory repeating the quintet from the last game with Ricky Rubio as point guard, Rudy Fernández and Juancho Hernángomez as external threats and an interior zone composed of Víctor Claver and Marc Gasol.
The triple and the circulation of the ball were key to countering a France full of talent, although without the presence of Thomas Heurtel, recent signing of Real Madrid, nor the named defender of the year in the NBA, Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz), in a very physical match from the start.
A triple by Marc and another by Pau Gasol put the noise in Carpena and Spain ahead (16-14), but the French responded with the same medicine, the shot of three, scoring four consecutive – two of them from the escort of the Brooklyn Nets Luwawu-Cabarrot- to close the first quarter ahead (21-24).
The bad news was in the departure of Juancho Hernangómez, who had to retire due to a blow and did not play again.
At 6:48 before the break, a triple by Rudy after Marc Gasol’s stopper made it 30-30, a reflection of the great defensive bolt that Spain put in, without losing intensity and betting on keeping an impeccable Alberto Abalde on the track (3/3 on field goals) in attack.
Scariolo, after making the usual rotation, introduced Ricky again to join him on the court with Pau, who with a dunk after a fight for the rebound reminded for an instant of that pivot who dominated France in the semifinals of the Eurobasket 2015. The dynamite put it Rudy from the perimeter, France did not find Nando De Colo and Spain turned the result (44-38).
Real Madrid player Vincent Poirier was charged with three personal fouls in his battle with Marc Gasol, while Garuba came in for Claver, who left early after four fouls. With Brizuela taking off, Llull and Chacho breaking, Ricky leading (12 points in the third quarter) and Garuba prevailing in defense, France entrusted Evan Fournier and Nando de Colo to stay alive in the match.
The last quarter was the moment of ‘Chacho’ Rodríguez: under his direction, Spain went 12 points up (76-64) at the equator, with a recital of tickets to the basket and reading of the game. Not a Fournier (20 points) in its best version could stop the Spanish team, who knew how to manage their advantage until the end.
The Spanish National Team will travel to Paris with three of three victories to play, once again, a friendly against France on Saturday July 10 (8:30 pm).