Paris Olympics: Wembanyama leads France past Japan in OT
France’s Victor Wembanyama claps as he leaves the court after France defeated Japan in a men’s basketball game at the Paris Olympics 2024, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
VILLENEUVE-D’ASCQ, France — 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 2024 men’s basketball tournament on Tuesday, French star Victor Wembanyama couldn’t help letting one go.
Article continues after this advertisement“Let’s (expletive) go!” he shouted as he turned to run back up the court.
SCHEDULE: Men’s basketball at Paris Olympics 2024
“It’s basketball players’ things,” Wembanyama said. “I think in Mongolia, Australia or North Pole they say ‘Let’s go,” too.”
Article continues after this advertisementFrance got a game-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 battled back and got it within 92-90 but the home team was able to close it out at the free throw line.
France’s Nicolas Batum, left, reaches in on Japan’s Rui Hachimura in a men’s basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
“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 danger of being eliminated with one group-stage game remaining.
READ: Wembanyama, France ease past Brazil at Paris Olympics
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.
France pushed its lead to 77—72, but Japan scored the next six points to retake the lead.
SCHEDULE: Men’s basketball at Paris Olympics 2024
Japan stretched it to 80-77 on a basket by Josh Hawkinson. But Evan Fournier raced up the floor and hit a 3-pointer to tie the game with 50 seconds left. Kawamura was fouled and hit two free throws. France came down 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 the ball up the court and it 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 potential game-winning 3 over Rudy Gobert, but it missed off the back of the rim.
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