France beats Canada to reach Olympic men’s basketball semifinals

PARIS — Guerschon Yabusele scored 22 points, Victor Wembanyama had 12 rebounds and France defeated Canada 82-73 on Tuesday to advance to the semifinals of the men’s Olympic basketball tournament for the second consecutive time.

Isaia Cordinier added 20 points for France, which is hoping to extend its medal haul after winning silver at the 2021 Tokyo Games. It will play Germany, which beat Greece, on Thursday.

Wembanyama finished with 7 points, 5 assists, 3 steals and 1 block.

Canada cut France’s 19-point second-half lead to 71-66 with less than three minutes left in the game, but the rally stalled there.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Canada with 27 points and RJ Barrett added 16. Canada has not reached the last four at the Olympics since 1984.

With Canada limiting Wembanyama’s touches, Yabusele and Cordinier carried the offensive load for France, whose lead grew to 19 points in the third period. France carried an 11-point lead into the fourth period, when Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert and Nicolas Batum combined for just three points.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.