France’s Matthew Strazel celebrates after France defeated Japan in a males’s basketball recreation on the Paris Olympics 2024, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France. (AP Picture/Michael Conroy)
VILLENEUVE-D’ASCQ, France— France’s miracle last-second comeback on the Paris Olympics on Tuesday bought even higher just a few hours later, when the host nation clinched a spot within the quarterfinals and a visit to the knockout spherical subsequent week.
Additionally now formally within the Olympic quarterfinals: Germany and Canada. And on Wednesday, the winner of the U.S.-South Sudan recreation additionally may have a spot within the quarterfinals all wrapped up.
The sphere for the medal spherical started taking form Tuesday, particularly after reigning World Cup champion Germany pulled away from a halftime tie and beat Brazil 86-73 within the closing recreation of the night. That victory got here simply after France bought a four-point play from Matthew Strazel to tie the sport late in regulation and beat Japan 94-90 in time beyond regulation behind 18 factors from Victor Wembanyama.
READ: Paris Olympics: Wembanyama leads France previous Japan in OT
These outcomes left France and Germany atop Group B at 2-0 and ensured of the highest two spots within the group over Brazil and Japan, each of whom are 0-2. Canada’s win over Australia earlier Tuesday additionally pushed it to 2-0 and now assured of no worse than a wild-card spot within the quarterfinals.
“I simply heard that,” Germany ahead Franz Wagner stated about clinching the spot within the quarterfinals. “Actually, I didn’t know. It’s good.”
There are three completely different teams of 4 groups within the Olympic event; the highest two finishers in every group make the quarterfinals, and the ultimate two spots within the subsequent spherical go to the most effective third-place groups in group play.
France, the silver medalist to the U.S. on the Tokyo Video games three years in the past, is within the quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive Olympics. Germany has now made the quarterfinals for the second consecutive Olympics — after not making it that far within the event since 1992 — and Canada is within the quarters for the primary time since 2000.
SCHEDULE: Males’s basketball at Paris Olympics 2024
Canada leads Group A at 2-0, adopted by Australia and Spain at 1-1 and Greece at 0-2. Germany and France are atop Group B at 2-0, over Brazil and Japan. And Group C will get by means of its second day of video games on Wednesday; the U.S. and South Sudan are each 1-0, whereas Puerto Rico and Serbia are each 0-1.
“Clearly, it’s good to get the primary two and now we’ve certified,” Germany coach Gordie Herbert stated. “It’s a great scenario for us.”
The total quarterfinal area is probably not recognized till Saturday, when the draw for the quarterfinal matchups can be held. The knockout spherical begins subsequent week in Paris.
Observe Inquirer Sports activities’ particular protection of the Paris Olympics 2024.
