Tony Parker, Team France arrive in Manila for Fiba OQT

Tony Parker at NAIA 1. Photo by Bong Lozada/INQUIRER.net

Team France arrived in Philippines early Friday, a few days before the start of the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Manila.

They were aboard Etihad Airlines Flight Ey428 that landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 at around 1 a.m.

Members of the Les Bleus, as the team is called, needed to wait a few more minutes before they could get their bags from packed conveyor belt as throngs of fans, co-passengers and NAIA staff took photos with them.

Boris Diaw, Tony Parker, and head coach Vincent Collet lead the French side that will compete in the same group as Gilas Pilipinas and New Zealand.

Despite being regarded as giants from Europe, Collet said nothing will be easy for them in the tournament.

France’s Boris Diaw waits for his teammates at NAIA1. Photo by Bong Lozada/INQUIRER.net

“It’s never easy, we know the qualifiers, and we have to do everything good because only one team will qualify,” said Collet.

Nicolas Batum, who is included in the team lineup was absent in the trip.

Les Bleus, after a few more minutes of selfies, then went straight to the team bus.