The French national basketball team has secured a place in the gold medal match at the 2024 Paris Olympics, continuing their quest for Olympic glory. In the men’s basketball semifinals, France staged a comeback to defeat Germany 73-69.
Guerschon Yabusele was instrumental in the victory, contributing 17 points and seven rebounds. Germany initially took the lead, starting strong with a 25-18 advantage after the first quarter, led by Dennis Schroder and Franz Wagner. However, France fought back in the second quarter, outscoring Germany 15-8 to tie the game at halftime.
The third quarter saw France come alive, with Yabusele scoring nine consecutive points, including an impressive and-1 play. Isaïa Cordinier also had a standout performance, adding 16 points and seven rebounds. France gained their first lead of the match during this quarter.
The match was not solely reliant on Yabusele and Cordinier, as Victor Wembanyama and Mathias Lessort also contributed, with both players scoring in double figures. Nicolas Batum chipped in with nine points. Meanwhile, Germany’s Schroder led his team with 18 points, though his shooting was less than ideal at 33 percent. Wagner scored 10 points but was kept quiet in the following quarters.
With this victory, France is guaranteed at least a silver medal in men’s basketball at the 2024 Olympics and will face the winner of the USA vs. Serbia matchup in the gold medal game on Saturday, August 10.
The final score of the game was France 73, Germany 69.