The French basketball team started their 2012 London Olympics campaign with a heavy defeat at the hands of the powerful USA, but they have since regained their composure significantly.
They have followed up that opening-day loss with twin victories and will now be looking to put one foot in the knockout round and enhance their Betfair betting odds by defeating the minnows Tunisia on Saturday.
The Blues were criticised for their highly disjointed effort against the Americans last Saturday but instead of feeling down and dejected, they quickly got up and upset one of the silver-medal favourites Argentina 71-64.
Their start point guard Tony Parker then inspired them to turn a four-point half-time disadvantage into an 82-74 win at the final whistle against Lithuania and so their Olympics campaign is now well and truly back on track.
After the Tunisia meeting, their final group game will be against another minnow Nigeria, who recently were on the receiving end of a record-breaking beat down by the US.
The French team last won an Olympic basketball medal in Syndey 12 years ago and are desperate to secure a podium finish this time around.
In order to realise that dream, they need their two main scoring options (Parker and Nicolas Batum) to keep firing on all cylinders. However, they would also need timely help from role players such as Boris Diaw and the new Los Angeles Clippers man Ronny Turiaf, especially now that they have lost the services of Florent Pietrus due to a broken nose.
The Tunisian basketball team, which is participating in Olympic Games for the very first time, had started off with a hard-fought 60-56 win over Nigeria, although they have been thoroughly dispatched by USA and Argentina in their subsequent two games.
But they will take confidence from the fact that they had managed to keep their game with the South Americans very close until the half-time and so they will be hoping to do more of the same when they meet the French tomorrow.
Elsewhere, the Olympic Boxing tournament is reaching the climactic stages. Make sure you get the latest news from the event on Betfair.
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