Liberty Guard Pushes France into Knockout Round

Behind a team-best scoring effort for New York Liberty fan favorite Marine Johannes, France is moving onto the Olympic knockout round.

Jul 29, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; France center Dominique Malonga (14) and guard Marine Johannes (23) celebrate after defeating Canada during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Viewed by some New York Liberty fans as another gift from France, Marine Johannes had a present for her countrymen and women on Thursday ln Lille: advancement.

Johannes' outside prowess and facilitation allowed host nation France to clinch a spot in the Paris Olympics' women's basketball knockout round, as Les Bleus dented Nigeria's Cinderella run with a 75-54 victory. With the win, France (2-0) is the only undefeated team left in Group B, affording it the chance the build upon a bronze medal effort from the Tokyo Games in 2021.

The backcourt sensation Johannes wowed from the inside and out after coming off the bench, scoring all 15 of her points from beyond the arc on 5-of-9 attempts. Johannes also dished out five assists, including a dazzling no-look helper on a fastbreak to Iliana Rupert.

Save for a brief 2-0 deficit at the start of the game, France successfully defended its home territory against the momentum-carrying Nigerians (1-1). An offensive-minded affair, which saw France hold a 24-20 advantage after Nigeria temporarily ate away at lead that reached as high as nine, gave way to mostly defensive static in the latter three periods.

France would force turnovers and used its crisp ball movement to its advantage: the French had 25 assists and held D'Tigress to only nine while forcing 21 turnovers. The Nigerians kept pace in the second period by keeping the gap down to a manageable two, but Les Bleus officially closed the door with a 10-1 run between the second and third periods, one that helped them establish a permanent 10-point lead.

It was, in fact, a Johannes triple that achieved that goal, coming after the defense allowed no field goals through the first 4:38 of the third quarter. Gabby Williams continued to impress on both sides, as he scored 14 on 7-of-10 shooting and forced six steals.

Despite the loss, D'Tigress currently holds the second and final automatic advancement spot in Group B thanks to the shocking win over Australia in their opener. Ezinne Kalu led all Thursday scorers with 18 points in defeat.

France will face the hungry Australians, led by Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello, in the group play finale on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, Peacock).

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