FRA - Turiaf makes French team, Petro battles Julian and Diarra out
BERLIN (FIBA World Championship) - France coach Claude Bergeaud has decided that Ronny Turiaf will serve as Frédéric Weis' back-up at center at the FIBA World Championship while also dashing the hopes of Mamoutou Diarra by releasing the small forward.
Les Bleus still have to make one more cut to get down to a 12-man squad and that place will be taken by either youngster Johan Petro or national team veteran Cyril Julian.
With Turiaf and Petro thought to be battling it out for the last place in the squad, the French Basketball Federation announced in a statement: "At the conclusion of the International Tournament of Berlin where France lost to Italy (65-79 ) and Turkey (76-89 ), Claude Bergeaud announced that he drops Mamoutou Diarra.
"And further to Frédéric Weis' injury, the seriousness of which we do not know at this time, the French coach did not wish to take the risk of leaving for Asia with a possible weakness inside.
"He thus decided to do without a winger rather than without a pivot. Frédéric Weis will be pivot number one in rotation with Ronny Turiaf.
"It is thus between Johan Petro and Cyril Julian that the ultimate choice must be made for the announcement of the definitive selection of 12 players."
The decision adds to a remarkable comeback for the 23-year-old Turiaf who was an outstanding collegian at Gonzaga but discovered after his Bulldogs career he needed a heart operation.
Turiaf returned to action this year and played as a reserve with the Los Angeles Lakers.
http://www.fiba.com/pages/en/news/la...=14622&r_cat=8
Turiaf makes French team
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