France beat Germany to reach first Women’s Basketball World Cup final

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France are through to the final of the women’s basketball World Cup for the first time after a 86-64 victory over host nation Germany on Saturday.

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Gabby Williams top scored with 22 points for the Olympic silver medalists, who kept their unbeaten record at the tournament alive before Sunday’s decider in Berlin.

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The US-born Williams, who also topped the assist charts with five and with four had the most steals, was the constant threat on both ends of the floor for the French.

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France are on track to face the United States and will hope to avenge their one-point defeat in the Olympic final in Paris in 2024, should the heavily favoured Americans get past Spain later on Saturday.

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The 11-time champion United States are on a 34-game winning streak at the World Cup dating back to their surprise semi-final defeat at the hands of Russia in 2006.

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The underdog Germans swept past European champions Belgium in their quarter-final clash for a first semi-final appearance as a unified country, with East Germany having made the final four in 1967.

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France burst out of the blocks early but the Germans stayed hot on their heels, trailing by just two at quarter-time.

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France’s quality told as the match went on and the French scored nine straight points to start the second-half, running out to a 16-point lead.

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Alexis Peterson and Emily Bessoir hit threes in the final quarter as the Germans cut the lead to just eight to stay within striking distance, but France again went on a run, scoring 12 straight to end the match and seal progress to a maiden final.

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AFP

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