In any any language, expletives are sometimes present on the basketball court. After scoring his sixth consecutive point in overtime of France’s dramatic 94-90 win over Japan at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday, French star Victor Wembanyama couldn’t help letting one go.
“Let’s (expletive) go!” he shouted as he turned to run back up the court.
“It’s basketball players’ things,” Wembanyama said. “I think in Mongolia, Australia or North Pole, they say `Let´s go,’ too.”
France got a game-tying four-point play by Matthew Strazel at the end of regulation, and Wembanyama scored eight of his 18 points in overtime. Strazel finished with 17 points to help France remain unbeaten in Group B play.
Wembanyama’s eighth point in OT gave France a 92-84 cushion. Japan fought back and got within 92-90, but the home team was able to close it out at the free-throw line.
“I don’t think we’ve experienced such a team,” Wembanyama said. “We have to give props, respect to this. They really know how to use their strength. We can learn from them.”
Rui Hachimura had 24 points for Japan before being ejected for his second unsportsmanlike foul early in the fourth quarter. Japan fell to 0-2 and is danger of being eliminated with one group-stage game remaining.
Yuki Kawamura picked up the scoring load, topping Japan with 29 points, connecting on six 3-pointers.
The game was tight throughout regulation.
Japan got within 72-70 on back-to-back 3-pointers by Hachimura. But on France´s next possession his foul on Rudy Gobert was reviewed and determined to be unsportsmanlike – his second technical of the game – and he was disqualified with 8:31 remaining.
France pushed its lead to 77-72, but Japan scored the next six points to retake the lead.
Japan stretched it to 80-77 on a basket by Josh Hawkinson. But Evan Fournier raced up the floor and hit a 3-pointer to tie the game with 50 seconds left. Kawamura was fouled and hit two free throws. France came down the court and had three attempts to tie that all missed. Kawamura was fouled again and hit two more free throws to make it 84-80.
France pushed the ball up the court and it ended up with Strazel, who made a deep 3 and was fouled. He completed the four-point play to tie it again with 10.2 seconds left.
Japan ran the clock down and Kawamura got off a potential game-winning 3 over Gobert, but it missed off the back of the rim.
RJ Barrett had 24 points and seven rebounds and Canada stayed unbeaten in group play at the Paris Olympics with a victory over Australia.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 16 points as Canada improved to 2-0 and remained on track to advance when the tournament field is trimmed from 12 to eight teams and shifts to Paris next week for the knockout stage.
Canada coach Jordi Fernandez said he likes the position his team is in because it’s able to control its own destiny.
“We’ve got to keep growing because we’re a team that’s never played together,” Fernandez said. “I think in five or 10 years from now we want to be all the way to the top of the rankings. But we have to start at some point, and I like the direction that we’re taking it.”
Josh Giddey led Australia with 19 points. Dante Exum finished with 15. Canada plays Spain in its final group-stage matchup. Australia faces Greece next.