In a day of mixed fortunes for German Olympic teams, the women’s basketball squad was eliminated from the Paris 2024 Olympics after a 71-84 loss to France in the quarterfinals on August 7. Despite a strong performance from Nyara Sabally, who scored 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in her comeback game after a concussion, the German team struggled with turnovers and rebounding, falling behind by as much as 17 points in the first half.The French team, led by Marine Johannès with an impressive 24 points, dominated the game with their physical play and aggressive defense. France capitalized on German mistakes, scoring 27 points from turnovers and making 14 interceptions. The victory propels France into a semifinal matchup against Belgium on Friday.In contrast to the women’s basketball team’s disappointment, the German men’s handball team advanced to the semifinals with a dramatic 35-34 overtime victory against France. The match featured a bizarre ending to regulation time when, with just four seconds left and France leading 29-28, French player Dika Mem made a crucial mistake, passing the ball to the Germans and allowing them to score the equalizer.German coach Alfred Gislason praised his team’s resilience, saying, ‘It was a great day. The team showed great spirit and determination’. The handball team will now face Spain in the semifinals.Despite the loss, Satou Sabally, a key player for the women’s basketball team, remained positive about the future of German basketball. ‘I am proud of what we have achieved here at the Olympics. German basketball will continue to grow,’ she said. The team’s quarterfinal appearance was already considered a success, as many experts had predicted a first-round exit.
Key points
- German women’s basketball team eliminated after 71-84 loss to France in Olympic quarterfinals.
- German men’s handball team advances to semifinals with dramatic 35-34 overtime win against France.
- France’s women’s basketball team, led by Marine Johannès, dominates Germany and moves to semifinals.
- Crucial mistake by France’s Dika Mem in final seconds of handball match allows Germany to force overtime and eventually win.
