By Steve Keating
PARIS (Reuters) -There was no “Miracle on the Seine” at the Paris Olympics on Saturday as the United States men’s basketball team did as expected by grinding out a 98-87 win over France to claim a fifth consecutive gold medal.
With the French sporting spotlight locked on the Bercy Arena, the American showmen crushed Gallic hearts led by Stephen Curry and a fired up LeBron James, the “King” wearing shiny golden sneakers to mark the occasion.
“I’m just living in the moment,” said 39-year-old James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. “I’m super humbled that I can still play this game.
“Play it at a high level.
“Play with 11 other great players with a great coaching staff and then and go out and do it for our country.
“It was a great moment.”
The result was the same as three years ago in the Tokyo Olympic gold medal game but for the French this loss cut a little deeper coming on home hardwood in front of a captivated nation.
“It’s their incredible talent that ended up marking the difference,” said France coach Vincent Collet. “It’s a final against the Americans, in Paris, you can say it as much as you want, each player has his emotions, we tried to use them but it wasn’t possible here.”
France will get another shot at hoops glory on Sunday but the women’s team will be even bigger underdogs against the mighty Americans who have not lost in the Olympics since 1992 and are chasing an eighth straight gold.
Just downstream from Notre Dame cathedral on the banks of the Seine the French faithful, including President Emmanuel Macron, gathered at the Bercy like pilgrims to Lourdes believing anything is possible and so it seemed until the final moments of an enthralling final.
As you would expect from a gold medal game there was jaw-dropping skill, raw emotion, tension and a touch of nastiness to provide spice.
James got the show started with a thundering dunk to kick-start a fast-paced affair that the Americans controlled behind a workmanlike effort building a 14-point third-quarter lead.
But the U.S. would need nearly all of that advantage as Les Bleus, turbo-charged by a rafter-rattling home crowd, clawed their way back chopping the deficit to 82-79 with three minutes to play.
Then with the crowd on their feet and France poised to do the unthinkable, Curry – as he did in a nail-biting semi-final win over Serbia – came to the rescue for the U.S.
With the Dream Team teetering, the U.S. captain drained three long-range three-pointers in the final two minutes to ease the pressure.
Curry would finish with 24 points, including eight three-pointers, while a defiant, scowling James had 14 points, 10 assists and six rebounds.
While the Americans celebrated, there were tears from a shattered French team that Victor Wembanyama said was ready to leave blood on court in their quest for gold.
Wembanyama, the first French player taken number one overall in the NBA draft, covered his face and wept before searching out his mother, who comforted her 7-foot, 3-inch (2.22 metres) son.
The 20-year-old power forward finished with a game high 26- points playing with flair and passion that marked him out as a future leader of the French squad.
“I’m proud having done what we’ve done here in France, in front of our fans,” said Wembanyama. “I’m going to let it all soak in and realize what’s going on.
“I always try to help my team whenever it’s needed. I’m ready to make any sacrifice.
“I’m worried for the opponents in a couple of years.”
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Paris; Additional reporting Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber and Vincent Daheron; Editing by Ed Osmond and Hugh Lawson)
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