France advances to 1st Olympic women's basketball gold medal game since 2012, beats Belgium in OT

PARIS (AP) — Gabby Williams scored nine of her 18 points in overtime as France advanced to the gold medal game of the Paris Olympics in women's basketball, beating neighbor Belgium 82-75 Friday night.

Not only will the host nation be playing in the final event of these Olympics on Sunday, France is back in the gold medal game for the first time since taking silver of the 2012 London Games. The French lost that game to the U.S., which beat Australia 85-64 in the other semifinal Friday.

Now France will have home-court advantage against the Americans who are trying to become the first team in Olympic history to win eight straight gold medals, male or female. France is assured of grabbing a medal that's a better color than the bronze won three years ago in the Tokyo Games.

It will be an all U.S.-France showdown for gold in basketball with the men playing Saturday and the women in the final event of these Olympics on Sunday.

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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games