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The French women started like their male counterparts, the previous day against Team USA. Nervous. Unable to hit a shot. Five minutes into the game, they were down by 10. But the ladies are made of sterner stuff than the men. If the attack wouldn't win it for them, then they'd have to win on defense. They tightened down and scrabbled back to a one-point half-time lead. In the third quarter, Shooting guard Emilie Gomis went crazy, hitting eleven straight points, including two threes. France went up by ten... but Australia in turn hung on... and came back... The end-game was insane... |
Emilie Gomis, nicknamed "Miss Go!" |
Australia has to foul and Yacoubou hits both free throws. France up three, with four seconds to play. Coach Pierre Vincent is screaming at his players to foul as soon as the ball is in bounds. They don't hear him.
Belinda Snell -- who used to play in France -- throws up a runner from sixty feet... and banks it in! Overtime!
Still... Lauren Jackson and Liz Cambage are both out with five fouls, and Suzy Batkovic has four. If Les Bleues don't let Snell's miracle shot rattle them, they have the physical edge to grind it out. And they do. They control the ball and the tempo... and the game.
With just a few seconds to go, Coach Vincent pulls Yacoubou and Gomis who have been superb, but who are carbonized. Gomis's replacement, Flo Le Pron, makes the steal that seals the victory.
Great game, won with grit and skill. Here's hoping the men were watching...