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Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
Sport

Tokyo Olympics: Nicolas Batum’s game-winning block sets up France vs USA masterclass in men’s basketball

  • Los Angeles Clippers guard’s last-second block denies Cinderella Slovenia a spot in gold medal match and sets up France vs USA
  • France beat the Americans in their first group game of the tournament, and also upset the USA at the 2019 Fiba Basketball World Cup

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France's Nicolas Batum’s last-second block against Slovenia sets up a tantalising final between Les Bleus and the Americans for gold at Tokyo 2020. Photo: AFP
Carlos Escueta
Down by one with under 10 seconds left to play, Slovenia’s Klemen Prepelic quickly attacked the basket in what he thought was a clear path to a potential game-winning lay-up that would have punched his team a ticket to the gold medal match at Tokyo 2020. But it was Nicolas Batum who came through with a heroic last-second defensive play for the French, reaching over to swat Prepelic’s shot off the glass with 2.4 seconds remaining.
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France went on to edge Olympic debutants Slovenia 90-89 in a back-and-forth, nail-biting thriller that saw 11 ties and nine lead changes.

While Batum had a relatively quiet night with just three points on 1-of-5 shooting, he definitely made his presence felt on the defensive end by blocking four shots throughout the game – and the biggest one could not have come at a better time.

04:52

Gold medals galore for China at Olympics as athletes struggle with stifling heat in Tokyo

Gold medals galore for China at Olympics as athletes struggle with stifling heat in Tokyo

“I had to make that play,” the Los Angeles Clippers forward told AP. “I always dreamed of playing in this type of game. And I had to make this play – this play – for my team. And I did it.”

At 5-0, world number seven France now stands as the only unbeaten team in the tournament ahead of their gold medal clash with the United States on Saturday at 10:30am (HKT) at the Saitama Super Arena. Slovenia, meanwhile, will have a shot at redemption as they play Australia in the bronze medal game, slated for 7pm (HKT) on Saturday.

Team France shooting guard Evan Fournier knocks the ball from Team United States forward Kevin Durant. Photo: TNS
Team France shooting guard Evan Fournier knocks the ball from Team United States forward Kevin Durant. Photo: TNS
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It was a hard-fought match all-around, with none other than Dallas Mavericks sensation Luka Doncic leading the charge for the Slovenes. Despite a wrist injury scare and a swarming French defence, the 22-year-old do-it-all guard still managed to snag a monster triple-double of 16 points, 10 rebounds and 18 assists – becoming the first player to post a triple-double in the Olympics since LeBron James in the 2012 London Games.

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