France to face US in Olympic basketball final after beating Doncic, Slovenia
French team members celebrate their win as Slovenia’s players (R) react after the men’s semi-final basketball match between France and Slovenia during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama on August 5, 2021. (Photo by Aris MESSINIS / AFP)
France edged Olympic debutant Slovenia 90-89 Thursday to make the Tokyo Games men’s basketball final against defending champions the United States.
Nando De Colo poured in a game-best 25 points and Boston Celtics’ Evan Fournier added 23 to give their team a third crack at upsetting the US after failing to do so in their two previous Olympic finals in 1948 and 2000.
Article continues after this advertisementEarlier, Kevin Durant led the Americans past Australia 97-78 to clinch the first final berth.
The final match is on Saturday.
The French lost in the last two Olympic quarterfinals to send four-time NBA championship-winning Tony Parker into retirement without a medal, but they now have a golden chance for a maiden title.
Article continues after this advertisement“We just had to fight to the last second, that’s who we are as a team,” said their Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert. “The US is the best team in the tournament, we just need to get ready and be up for the challenge.”
🗣️ "Nicolas is a class act. He told me he hates playing against me, but in a good way. That was nice of him, he's just a class act."
– @luka7doncic 🇸🇮#Tokyo2020 | #Basketball pic.twitter.com/AsNJM3HiIB
— FIBA (@FIBA) August 5, 2021
Slovenia came out fast and was ahead for almost the entire the first quarter, with Luka Doncic and Mike Tobey both netting 10 points each to take a two-point advantage into the second term.
They led by the same margin at half-time, but a stronger third quarter saw France go into the final stretch with a 71-65 lead and they held on in a tense finale.
Doncic had 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 18 assists in his first career loss in international competition.
