Parker sasandalan ng France vs Lithuania

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia -- Isang panalo na lamang ang kailangan ni Tony Parker para maigiya ang France sa una nitong major basketball title.

Matapos umiskor ng 32 points sa 75-72 overtime win ng France laban sa two-time defending champion Spain sa semifinals, muli na namang babandera si Parker sa kanilang pagsagupa sa Lithuania para sa gold medal ng European Men’s Championships.

Natalo ang France sa Spain sa finals ng torneo noong 2011.

“Now, we have to control our joy. Two years ago we were so happy for having qualified for the Olympics that we botched the final,’’ wika ni Parker, ang star guard ng San Antonio Spurs sa NBA.

Ang France ay nanalo ng dalawang silvers at limang bronze medals sa European championships.

“We’ve been coming closer and we want the best medal now,’’ sabi ni Parker.

Habang si Parker ang tumatayong team leader ng France, may lima pang NBA players na kasama sa French roster na kinabibilangan nina Boris Diaw at Nicolas Batum.

Si Parker ang leading scorer ng France mula sa kanyang average na 19.7 points per game.

“We are in a completely different state of mind,’’ wika ni France coach Vincent Collet.

Binigo naman ng Lithuania ang Croatia, 77-62, sa semifinals para makaabante sa finals matapos makamit ang ikatlong gintong medalya noong 2003.

“We are proud of this team. When we started pre-parations many people were talking bad about us, they were saying that this team can do nothing here,’’ ani Lithuania coach Jonas Kazlauskas. “But now we have found our rhythm and we are in the finals.’’