Leonie Fiebich (L) and France's Marine Johannes fight for the ball. GETTY IMAGES

Paris Bercy witnessed another triumphant afternoon for France. The men's team pulled off a surprise against Canada, and the women's team overcame Germany. Belgium outclassed Spain. Australia overcame Serbia and the USA fulfilled the prediction against a great Nigeria.

The women's quarter-finals were not as glamorous as the men's. Lack of equality. All the matches with results that lacked emotion. Those who win, take it for granted. Those who lose leave the tournament dissatisfied for not having fought harder.

The USA closed the day's basketball action with a win over Nigeria. They did not suffer, but the African team played a great game and never gave up. In the last quarter they were able to reduce the deficit to leave a score that was hard to believe (74-88).

The physical superiority of the Americans was what marked the game from the start. Always imposing their strength in rebounding and getting comfortable positions to score from close to the basket.



Their main players once again made it clear that this is the team to beat. A'ja Wilson had 20 points and 11 rebounds. Jackie Young stood out more than on other days, scoring 15 more points, while Breanna Stewart added another 13.

Nigeria had plenty of motivation. They are the first African basketball team to reach the quarter-finals of an Olympic Games, either women's or men's. They went into the final quarter with no chance. They went into the last quarter with no chance, but continued to play their game to finish with the most dignified score possible. This time it was not Ezinne Kalu who was the top scorer, although she did score 16 points. Promise Amukamara scored 19 and Amy Okonwo, 17.

Big win for France against Germany

With the support of a passionate home crowd, France delivered a stellar performance. Their two stars played at an exceptional level, and their defensive strategy was crucial, limiting Germany's Satou Sabally to just 10 points, her lowest of the tournament. Satou’s sister, Nyara Sabally, stood out for Germany with 20 points and 13 rebounds.

Marine Johannes led the charge for France, putting on a shooting clinic with 24 points, including five of 10 from beyond the arc. Gabby Williams added 15 points, along with six rebounds, five assists, and two steals, proving to be a versatile and reliable player. With this form, France looks poised to contend for a silver medal, acknowledging that winning gold will be a formidable challenge.



In the final minutes, Germany made a last-ditch effort to close the gap on the scoreboard, but France remained composed and comfortably secured the victory with a score of 84-71. On Friday, they will face their next challenge to see if they can advance to the final.

Belgium repeats victory against Spain

It was the final of Eurobasket 2023. The Belgians managed to be the champions. Today they have taken the step to fight for the medals. A match with an even and spectacular start, but they controlled from the second set.

Belgium dominated their match, thanks largely to their standout player, Emma Meesseman, who has been one of the best performers of the tournament. Meesseman was once again a formidable presence, contributing not just in scoring but across the board. She finished the game with 19 points, nine rebounds, six assists, four blocks, and two steals.

It wasn't just Meesseman's effort that led to the victory. Kyara Linskens added another 19 points and eight rebounds, while Antonia Delaere, another key player for the Belgian team, contributed 13 points and seven assists.



Spain struggled to maintain their initial momentum. After scoring 26 points in the first quarter, they managed only 40 more over the next three quarters. The Belgian defense proved impenetrable, and Spain couldn’t alter the game’s dynamic. Their star player, Meg Gustafson, delivered another strong performance with 21 points and seven rebounds, but lacked sufficient support from her teammates to stay competitive until the end.

Australia capitalise on Serbia's doubts

The two teams entered the game with contrasting outlooks. Initially, Australia appeared less focused, while Serbia seemed poised to make a deep run in the Games. However, as the matches progressed, the reality shifted, and today the Australians looked far superior.

Australia dominated the match from start to finish, securing their place in the Olympic semi-finals for the first time since London 2012. Back then, they were a formidable team, having reached four consecutive Olympic finals, only to be defeated each time by the USA.



To reach the quarter-finals, Australia had to overcome France, and today they secured a comfortable victory. Alanna Smith led the way with an impressive performance, tallying 22 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks. Jade Melbourne and Cayla George each contributed 18 points, while Sami Whitcomb added another 15.

Serbia exits the tournament with a sense of disappointment. Aside from their strong showing against China, they struggled unexpectedly against Puerto Rico and were unable to compete effectively against Spain or Australia.