France covered in cold sweat despite men's basketball win over Japan

France defeated Japan 94-90 in the men's basketball group game at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris on Tuesday to secure their second straight win in Group B.

Though France were the silver medalists of the event from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and Japan have not won a single game at the Olympic Games, Japan caused great trouble for the hosts with a 3-pointer storm by knocking down 16 shots out of 37 attempts from downtown.

Yuki Kawamura went 9-for-26 to score court-high 29 points for Japan. Rui Hachimura got 24 points before he was ejected with two unsportsmanlike fouls in the fourth quarter. Japan led by four points in the final moments of the fourth period after Yuki made a series of free throws, but then he fouled Matthew Strazel who managed to complete a four-point play when there were 10.2 seconds left to tie the score and drag the game into overtime (OT).

"The shot of his life," Victor Wembanyama said of Strazel's big play at the end of regulation time.

Wembanyama dominated OT by scoring all of France's first eight points, enabling his side to lead 92-84. Though Japan tried rally with two consecutive triples, Evan Fournier sealed the deal for the hosts at the free throw line.

"The realization, the dynamic of the game, Wembanyama said of France's change during the OT. "They were playing like underdogs and we were waiting for them to punch a little bit too much. I wanted to make a point and punch first in overtime. And it worked."

The 20-year-old unicorn contributed 18 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for France in Tuesday's game. "I don't know why he has to prove more," France head coach Bilal Coulibaly said of Wembanyama. "He was being himself, a great teammate, a great player. Proud of him."