France pushed the USA until the dying seconds of a thrilling women’s basketball gold medal match, but lost by a single point in a 67-66 scoreline at a packed Bercy Arena in Paris.
The match ebbed and flowed between hosts France and defending champions USA until the last buzzer sounded in front of a partisan home crowd on Sunday.
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The United States’ 10th gold medal in women’s basketball capped the Olympic Games in Paris and ensured the country finished on top of the medals table ahead of rivals China.
A’ja Wilson scored a game-high 21 points for the Americans, surviving a buzzer-beating shot from France’s Gabby Williams.
The hosts needed a three to force overtime, but Williams’s foot was on the three-point line as she let go of the ball, so her shot counted for just two points in a dramatic finale.
The USA women got support from LeBron James, who sat courtside wearing his gold medal, joined by team-mates Bam Adebayo and Derrick White.
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A low-scoring first quarter saw a cold-shooting France muster just nine points, but the USA only fared marginally better and led by six after 10 minutes.
Williams trimmed the gap to a point with a three early in the second period before a basket from Valeriane Ayayi tied the game at 20-20.
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Marine Fauthoux drained a three from near midcourt with the shot clock expiring to send the crowd wild, but Napheesa Collier’s putback ensured the teams headed into the break level at 25-25.
France strung together a 10-point run to start the third period as Fauthoux and Ayayi both nailed threes.
The USA hit back to lead 45-43 going into the final quarter, with Kelsey Plum connecting on a pair of threes – one after Marine Johannes took a nasty blow from Wilson that went unpunished, to France’s fury.
Wilson belatedly found some rhythm offensively after a difficult first half, but France had an answer each time and went back in front, 51-49, on Marieme Badiane’s layup.
The USA nudged back ahead, Wilson getting a kind bounce off the backboard and Plum sinking a pair of free throws to leave them leading by three with two minutes to play.
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Williams’s jumper made it one point before Kahleah Copper drove to the basket to keep the USA in the driving seat.
A travelling call against Wilson gave the ball back to France with around 45 seconds left, but Fauthoux’s desperation three came up well short under pressure from Breanna Stewart.
Wilson then made a free throw to extend the lead to four and Plum looked to have clinched the win with a pair of foul shots, but Williams kept France alive with a clutch three.
Copper held her nerve to sink two more free throws for the USA to restore their cushion to three.
They needed every point as Williams nearly pulled off a miraculous escape act as the buzzer sounded only to be denied by a matter of centimetres.
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By winning the last available medal, the USA finished with 40 gold medals and 125 total medals ahead of China’s 40 gold and 91 total.
Earlier on Saturday, the men’s gold medal match saw the same result, with the all-star USA team beating France 98-87.