Starting a tournament with two consecutive losses is far from ideal, and Slovenia found themselves in exactly that position after their second defeat, this time at the hands of France.
However, the focus of the postgame press conference quickly shifted away from the team’s overall performance and instead landed on the final play of the match.
Coach Alex Sekulic defended his team’s aggressive approach, pointing out the 46 free throw attempts and expressing frustration over the intensity of defenses they face.
“Sometimes I ask myself if I am on a basketball court or in some other venue regarding fighting,” he said, highlighting the physicality and pressure his players endure.
The main source of controversy, however, was the last shot of the game. Sylvain Francisco, who had previously shaken hands with Luka Doncic during an already decided game, sank the final basket, drawing attention and raising eyebrows.
Veteran Slovenian guard Klemen Prepelic, a former teammate of Francisco’s at Metropolitans and familiar with him from the 2017-18 season under coach Fauthoux, stepped in to clarify the context.
“He was too young when I played with him back in the season 2017-18, and it was under coach Fauthoux also,” Prepelic explained, putting the player’s actions into perspective.
Prepelic emphasized that Francisco had grown both as a player and as a professional since then, but he did not shy away from criticizing the late-game decision.
“I like the kid, since the first day, he is a tough character, he has come a long way, very talented, very hardworking kid. I am really happy to see how he has grown; he has managed to take over his career. However, what he did at the end of the game is pretty disrespectful.
“You are just starting to get respect from the whole basketball, let’s say, and you are doing something like this, shaking the hand of the opponent, and then on top of scoring 30 points, having a great night obviously, he took care of business, to do something like this was, let’s say, very low level. He kind of appreciates my words, and he says it’s not going to be repeated.”
On the other hand, French national team coach Frederic Fauthoux and rising star Bilal Coulibaly defended Francisco’s decision.
Fauthoux noted the strategic importance of the play, stating, “It’s important for the goal average, because we don’t know what might happen tomorrow or Tuesday. So all baskets are important; we need to score. This is true, it’s not about disrespecting your opponent.”
Coulibaly added, “If I were in their position, I would be mad too, but it’s part of the game, we’ve got to accept it,” acknowledging the controversy while emphasizing that competitive decisions sometimes carry unintended emotional consequences.
The incident has sparked debate over sportsmanship versus strategic play, with Prepelic hoping that lessons will be learned, while the French side insists the move was simply part of the game.
💠Klemen Prepelic: "What Francisco did was, let's say, very low level"
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) August 30, 2025
💠Coach Fauthoux: "It's important for the goal average, we need to score"#Eurobasket https://t.co/2vjUeKS0eM
