Overview
- France, which beat China 90-61 on Thursday, advanced to the World Cup semifinals for the first time on the strength of balanced scoring and efficient three-point shooting.
- Host Germany stunned Belgium 93-74 on Thursday to reach the last four and will meet France in a Saturday semifinal in Berlin.
- The United States extended its dominant form with a 108-56 quarterfinal win over Hungary on Thursday and now awaits the winner of Spain versus Australia for the other semifinal slot.
- Marine Johannès paced France with 15 points and seven assists while Janelle Salaün added 15 and Gabby Williams 14, and the French defense held China’s 19-year-old 2.23m center Zhang Ziyu to seven points.
- A French semifinal guarantees at least a silver medal for a team that last placed on the World Cup podium in 1953 and keeps alive a potential showdown with four-time defending champion USA, which is chasing a fifth straight final appearance.