In a thrilling matchup in Paris, Guerschon Yabusele scored 17 points as France edged out Germany 73-69, securing a spot in the men’s Olympic basketball gold medal game. Isaia Cordinier contributed 16 points, while Victor Wembanyama added 11 points and seven rebounds, leading France to its second consecutive Olympic final after winning silver in Tokyo three years ago.
The atmosphere was electric as the home crowd erupted in celebration following the victory. After exchanging handshakes with their German counterparts, the French team ran to the baseline, saluting the cheering fans, who responded with even louder applause.
France will face the winner of the Serbia vs. U.S. matchup in the gold medal game set for Saturday. Dennis Schroder was the standout for Germany with 18 points, while Franz Wagner chipped in with 10 points and eight rebounds.
This match marked the end of an impressive streak for Germany, which included a victory at last year’s World Cup, tallying 12 consecutive wins in major international play.
With basketball legends Tony Parker and Dirk Nowitzki watching from courtside, France outperformed Germany in the second and third quarters, outscoring them 38-25 to take a 56-50 lead into the final period.
However, Germany fought back, narrowing the gap to 69-65 thanks to a layup by Schroder in the final minute. After Frank Ntilikina’s free throw, a deep 3-pointer from Wagner brought Germany within two points at 70-68.
France managed to let the shot clock run down, but Nicolas Batum missed a 3-point attempt. Wagner grabbed the rebound but fell out of bounds while trying to advance. This led to a foul by Germany.
Wembanyama missed his first free throw attempt but converted the second, extending France’s lead to three with just 10 seconds left. France then fouled Schroder, who also made just one of two free throws, leaving the score at 72-70. Cordinier was subsequently fouled and hit two more free throws to secure the win.
France maintained the modified starting lineup used in their quarterfinal victory against Canada, featuring Wembanyama, Yabusele, Cordinier, Nicolas Batum, and Ntilikina. This lineup faced early challenges, as Germany jumped to a 12-2 lead, prompting coach Vincent Collet to make early substitutions. The adjustments proved effective, allowing France to reduce the deficit to seven points by the end of the first quarter.
The momentum continued into the second quarter, where France outscored Germany 15-8, resulting in a halftime tie at 33. A highlight of this period was Wembanyama’s impressive two-handed dunk over Daniel Theis that ignited the French fans.