France ousts Canada to reach men’s Olympic basketball semis

PARIS — France had an unpleasant couple of days after its loss to Germany within the groups’ group stage finale.

It turned these ugly days into presumably its prettiest performances of the Olympic match thus far.

Guerschon Yabusele scored 22 factors after being inserted into the beginning lineup, Victor Wembanyama had 12 rebounds and France beat Canada 82-73 on Tuesday to advance to its second straight males’s Olympic basketball semifinals. Wembanyama completed with 7 factors, 5 assists, 3 steals and 1 block.

Isaia Cordinier added 20 factors for France, which is wanting so as to add to its medal haul after successful silver within the Tokyo Video games in 2021. It can meet Germany, a winner over Greece, on Thursday.

“We had plenty of time to assume, to sort things, and the entire staff was simply so devoted to fixing all the things,” Wembanyama mentioned. “Now we have got an excellent base to construct on for the ultimate part of the match.”

French coach Vincent Collet pulled four-time NBA Defensive Participant of the 12 months Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier from the beginning lineup. Gobert performed simply three minutes after struggling an unspecified damage in apply. Fournier did not see the courtroom till late within the first quarter. His benching got here after Collet took problem with some essential feedback by Fournier after the Germany loss.

Fournier completed with 15 factors, saying afterward that there isn’t any ongoing problem together with his coach.

“When you may have guys which have the identical purpose, which can be being aggressive and attempting to win, it is stress,” Fournier mentioned. “It is a part of the sport. … You simply to should deal with stuff like that. And that is what we did there.”

Wembanyama, Yabusele, Cordinier, Nicolas Batum and Frank Ntilikina began Tuesday. The group gave the staff an power increase, with France taking a 23-10 lead by the tip of the primary quarter.

Canada reduce what had been 19-point second-half lead for France to 5 factors with lower than three minutes to go, however the rally stalled there.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Canada with 27 factors, and RJ Barrett added 16. Canada has not reached the Olympic closing 4 since 1984.

“The beginning clearly put us in a gap,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned. “I feel we received the remainder of the sport after the beginning. However while you begin like that, it is exhausting play in opposition to any staff.”

With Canada limiting Wembanyama’s touches, Yabusele and Cordinier carried the offensive load for France.

France took an 11-point lead into the fourth, when Wembanyama, Gobert and Batum mixed for simply three factors.

Canada reduce the deficit to 71-66 on a steal and dunk by Lu Dort.

It was 73-66 with just a little greater than a minute to play when Fournier related on a desperation heave from simply contained in the half-court line with the shot clock winding down.

The Related Press contributed to this story.