Germany’s second-quarter haymakers too much for Wembanyama, France to overcome

VILLENEUVE-D'ASCQ, France – The French and German men’s basketball national teams already have their quarterfinal berths clinched, but there was plenty on the line when they took the floor.

A win for either team — and a healthy winning margin — could go a long way to determining how high they could be seeded for the knockout stage.

France had no answer for German point guard Dennis Schröder or power forward Franz Wagner on Friday. Both players combined for 52 points in Germany’s 85-71 win over France.

Germany made its push in the second quarter, outscoring the French team 24-9.

France was not able to get into much of an offensive flow to start the game. Spurs star Victor Wembanyama scored just four points in the first half.

Fellow teammate and Minnesota Timberwolves big man Rudy Gobert didn’t grab a rebound, blocked one shot and turned the ball over twice in the second quarter before he subbed out of the game at the 3:35 mark of the quarter.

Gobert didn’t check back into the game until the 1:07 mark of the third quarter.

According to ESPN reporter Marc J. Spears, Wembanyama and his teammates were booed by the predominantly French crowd after going into the halftime break down 21 points.

The hits kept coming for Germany, who always seemed to keep themselves a long arm’s length away from France.

The emphatic third-quarter dunk from Wagner, who signed a five-year contract extension with the Orlando Magic worth $224 million last month, sent a jolt through Germany. Its lead grew to 22 points late in the quarter.

France made a final stab at Germany’s lead when it scored the last five points of the third quarter and the first six points of the fourth quarter. Leading 69-57 with just under six-and-a-half minutes to play, German small forward Isaac Bonga nailed a corner 3-pointer that served as France’s final nail in the coffin.

Wembanyama finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds, two steals, an assist and a blocked shot in defeat. In addition to his 26 points, Schröder grabbed four rebounds, dished out nine assists and had one steal.

Due to Germany’s 14-point win, the team not only clinched Group B with its third win in three games. The Germans own a +47-point differential in their games. Depending on how Team USA, which has a +43-point differential, fares in its matchup against Puerto Rico on Saturday, Germany could earn the top seed in the knockout round.

Seeding and quarterfinal matchups will be determined after Saturday’s pool play matches.

More Victor Wembanyama and France men’s basketball team coverage on KSAT:

• Wembanyama takes over in OT, helps France escape a serious challenge from Japan at the Paris Games
• Victor Wembanyama stands tall in France’s opening Olympics match win over Brazil