Strazel helps lift France past Japan in OT at Olympics, Canada also set up to advance. Greece falls
Strazel helps lift France past Japan in OT at Olympics, Canada also set up to advance. Greece falls
VILLENEUVE-D’ASCQ, France (AP) — In any language, expletives are sometimes present on the basketball court.
After scoring his sixth consecutive point in overtime of France’s dramatic 94-90 win over Japan at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday, French star Victor Wembanyama couldn’t help letting one go.
“Let’s (expletive) go!” he shouted as he turned to run back up the court.
“It’s basketball players’ things,” Wembanyama said. “I think in Mongolia, Australia or North Pole, they say ‘Let’s go,’ too.”
France got a tying four-point play by Matthew Strazel at the end of regulation, and Wembanyama scored eight of his 18 points in overtime. Strazel finished with 17 points to help France remain unbeaten in Group B play.
Wembanyama’s eighth point in OT gave France a 92-84 cushion. Japan fought back and got within 92-90, but the home team was able to close it out at the free-throw line.
“I don’t think we’ve experienced such a team,” Wembanyama said. “We have to give props, respect to this. They really know how to use their strength. We can learn from them.”
Rui Hachimura had 24 points for Japan before being ejected for his second unsportsmanlike foul early in the fourth quarter. Japan fell to 0-2 and is in danger of being eliminated with one group-stage game remaining.
Yuki Kawamura picked up the scoring load, topping Japan with 29 points, connecting on six 3-pointers.
The game was tight throughout regulation.
Japan got within 72-70 on back-to-back 3-pointers by Hachimura. But on France’s next possession his foul on Rudy Gobert was reviewed and determined to be unsportsmanlike — his second technical of the game — and he was disqualified with 8:31 remaining.
Japan grabbed an 80-77 lead on a basket by Josh Hawkinson. But Evan Fournier hit a tying 3-pointer with 50 seconds left. Kawamura hit two free throws. France came down the court and had three attempts to tie that all missed.
Kawamura was fouled again and hit two more free throws to make it 84-80.
France pushed and the ball ended up with Strazel, who made a deep 3 and was fouled. He completed the four-point play to tie it again with 10.2 seconds left.
Japan ran the clock down and Kawamura got off a 3 over Gobert, but it missed off the back of the rim.
Canada 93, Australia 83
RJ Barrett had 24 points and seven rebounds and Canada stayed unbeaten in group play.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 16 points as Canada improved to 2-0. It has in the quarterfinals and a trip to Paris for the knockout round next week.
Canada coach Jordi Fernandez said he likes the position his team is in.
“We’ve got to keep growing because we’re a team that’s never played together,” Fernandez said. “I think in five or 10 years from now we want to be all the way to the top of the rankings. But we have to start at some point, and I like the direction that we’re taking it.”
Josh Giddey led Australia with 19 points. Dante Exum finished with 15.
Canada plays Spain in its final group-stage matchup. Australia faces Greece next.
The game was tight throughout the first half. But Barrett kept finding seams in Australia’s defense, helping his team take its first double-digit lead on a 3-pointer with 5:13 remaining. Canada then pushed it up to 83-72 with about 4 1/2 minutes to play.
Fernandez said his team’s physicality was lacking in a first half in which it surrendered 30 points in the paint. The pressure was ratcheted up in the second half, though, with Canada limiting Australia to only 16 points in the paint.
Spain 84, Greece 77
Santi Aldama had 19 points and 12 rebounds and Spain defeated Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece to remain in contention to advance to the knockout round.
Sergio Llull finished with 13 points. Spain improved to 1-1 in Group A with one group-stage game left to play against Canada.
Antetokounmpo had 27 points and 11 rebounds.
After losing their opening games on Saturday, Greece and Spain both came out essentially playing for their tournament lives, with the loser facing a must-win scenario on Friday — and likely lots of help — to have any chance of advancing.
That team is now Greece, which will meet Australia in its final chance to earn a victory before four teams’ medal hopes end.
Greece cut what had been a 14-point halftime deficit to a point early in the fourth quarter.
It then tied it at 71 on an emphatic, driving left-handed dunk by Antetokounmpo over Aldama, whom he had been jostling with throughout the game.
But Aldama responded on the other end with a driving layup and Spain steadied over the next few minutes, scoring the next eight points.
“It’s tough with a guy like him to make the defensive play,” Aldama said. “You can either make the defensive play or try to block the shot. … I tried, got posterized, but next play.”
Greece closed to 80-77 with 59 seconds left, but Antetokounmpo had a 3-pointer from the top of the key bounce off the rim.
Spain does have a big health concern going forward after Rudy Fernandez left late in the fourth quarter after a collision under the basket. He was helped by trainers to the locker room.
Germany 86, Brazil 73
Dennis Schroder scored 20 points and Germany earned the win in the final game of day.
Franz Wagner added 17 points and Isaac Bonga 15 as Germany joined France as Group B’s two unbeaten teams through two games. They will face each other Friday to see who wins the group.
The game had three ties and eight lead changes before Germany tightened defensively, holding Brazil to 41% shooting on the night.
Yago Santos led Brazil with 18 points. Vitor Benite finished with 17. Brazil falls to 0-2 along with Japan, which it will play next.
Brazil scored just 10 points in the first quarter, then outscored Germany 30-18 to tie the game at the half.
Germany found its defense again in the third, this time limiting Brazil to 11 points
The Germans stretched their lead as high as 16 points in the fourth.
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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
By KYLE HIGHTOWER
AP Sports Writer
