After defeating Italy, France will meet Slovenia in the Olympic men's basketball semifinals in Tokyo.
The squad captain stated, "I couldn't lose that game." “We couldn't let that game slip away from us.”
France #5 Nicolas Batum scored 15 points with two 3-pointers and thee free throws, 14 rebounds, three assist, three steals and two blocked shots.
By defeating Italy 84-75, France progressed to the men's basketball semifinals for the first time since 2000.
France #27 Rudy Gobert scored 22 points with two free throws, nine rebounds, one steal and one blocked shots.
France #10 Evan Fournier had 21 with three 3-pointers and five free throws, three rebounds, and four assist, this is day he decided to sign with the New York Knicks, and France moved to the men's basketball semifinals for the first time since 2000.
After Italy had recovered a 14-point deficit, France #4 Thomas Heurtel scored the game-tying 3-pointer with 2:18 remaining. To close it off, Gobert scored a number of late baskets, including a spinning dunk for the game's last basket.
For their Italians, #13 Simone Fontecchio had 23 points and Danilo Gallinari had 21 points and 10 rebounds.
Italy (ITA) 75 - 84 (FRA) France
25 [Quarter1] 20
17 [Quarter2] 23
12 [Quarter3] 21
21 [Quarter4] 20
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Current Tournament summary
