France have reached the Women’s Basketball World Cup final for the first time.
The French team defeated hosts Germany 86-64 in their semi-final in Berlin on Saturday.
The victory also kept France’s unbeaten run at the tournament intact.
Williams Leads France
Gabby Williams delivered another outstanding performance for France.
The Olympic silver medallist scored 22 points to lead all French scorers.
She also recorded five assists and four steals.
Williams played a key role on both ends of the court as France controlled the game.
France started quickly and looked dangerous from the opening minutes.
Germany, however, stayed close during the first quarter.
The hosts trailed by only two points at the end of the opening period.
France Pull Away
The game changed after the break.
France opened the second half with a nine-point unanswered run.
That burst helped the French side establish a 16-point advantage.
Germany refused to give up.
Alexis Peterson and Emily Bessoir hit three-pointers in the final quarter as Germany reduced the deficit to eight points.
The comeback hopes did not last long.
France responded with another decisive run.
The French scored 12 straight points late in the game to close out the 86-64 victory.
France Await Final Opponent
France will now prepare for Sunday’s final in Berlin.
They could face the United States if the defending champions defeat Spain in the other semi-final.
The Americans have dominated the competition for years.
The United States are 11-time World Cup champions and entered the semi-final on a 34-game winning streak at the tournament.
A meeting with the US would give France an opportunity for revenge.
France lost the 2024 Olympic final in Paris to the Americans by just one point.
The French team will now wait to discover their final opponent.
