Audrey Sauret

France trounced Serbia & Montenegro 83-61 on Saturday to earn the right to face Belgium in the classification game to determine fifth and sixth place at the European Championships.

Les Bleues´s title defence ended against Russia on Friday in the quarter-final round but Alain Jardel´s troops rebounded in style by taking command early against a powerful but very slow footed side from Belgrade.

France won this game with their defence, and superlative shooting by Nicole Antibe (19 points) and Audrey Sauret (22).

Antibe was an impressive eight of 12 from the field and also made all three of her free throws, while co-captain Sauret made seven of 13, including two of six from three-point range.

Miodrag Veskovic had high hopes coming into this tournament but he admits changes are on the way.

"Our problem is speed and agility," he told PA International after the game.

"We are a tall team but have the quickness problems. We need to bring in new players, and I know of three juniors who will be coming in to the team."

Serbia & Montenegro will face Slovakia, hoping to win and finish seventh.