in 2024
Paris Olympics
France narrowly defeated Japan 94-90 in overtime in a close matchup in Group B of the men's basketball group stage. The game was a fierce battle between the two teams, with many exciting scores and turnovers.
The game started with a tussle between the two teams and the score was always close. The French kept hitting the basket, while the Japanese responded with three-pointers in a row. After Yabusele's consecutive three-pointers, Japan went on an 8-0 run to take the lead. However, the French team quickly adjusted to the situation, a wave of 9-2 small wave, 49-44 lead five points to end the first half.
In the second half, Japan took the lead, going on an 8-2 run to go back on top. A seesaw battle ensued with both teams trading leads. France took the initiative again thanks to a 7-0 run. At the end of the quarter, Satoru Hachimura was ejected for accumulating fouls, and Isao Kawamura scored 6 points in a row with a 3+1 to bring his team back to the lead. Both sides scrambled into the white-hot stage, Gobert mistakenly injured Batum causing the latter to bleed from the mouth. At the critical moment, Fournier hit a three-point equalizer, Kawamura Yutaka 4 free throws, Straser 3 +1 again to erase the point difference. Kawamura Yutaka missed a last second three-point attempt, and the two sides went into overtime.
In the overtime, Bunbanyama dominated both offense and defense, scoring 8 points in a row, and despite the Japanese team's consecutive three-point shots, there was still no way back. In the end, France beat Japan 94-90 in overtime to secure the hard-fought victory.
