The 5th world-ranking France made sure their status quo means something.
Veteran guard Tony Parker scored game-high 26 points while Nando de Colo added 22 on 8-12 shooting to power the Les Bleus past Canada 83-74 and bagged the final Rio Olympics berth.
The game was close throughout until the fourth quarter where the San Antonio Spurs guard poured in 15 of his point total to give the French a lot of breathing room.
After Tyler Ennis pushed the Canadians to within 67-64, the four-time NBA champion began to make his move and completed a three-pointer off an Ennis foul.
That sparked eight straight points by the 6-foot-2 guard sandwiched between an Anthony Bennett three-pointer as the French moved over to safer grounds, 75-66, with 67 seconds left.
Soon after, celebration began for Les Bleus and its horde of fans which cheered them endlessly the entire game at the Mall of Asia Arena.
"Unbelievable feeling for our country that we are going to the Olympics. It was our goal," said Parker who shot 3-5 from the three-point range.
"This is something special. It’s always a great experience to go to the Olympics," said de Colo afterwards, who was named the MVP of the tourney.
Joseph Corey chipped in 20 points for Canada, which will have to wait for another four years to have a shot at the Olympics, where it last played in 2000 in Athens.
"We battled hard but I think Tony just took over in the fourth quarter," said Joseph, who had the unenviable task of trying to stop the 32-year-old Parker.
With the victory, France ended up being bracketed in Group A, where it could meet the basketball alpha male Team USA following the drawing of lots held shortly after the game.
Source: SPIN
Image: Times Colonist
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