Liberty Guard, France Set Up Gold Medal Match vs. USA

Despite lacking the usual scoring output from New York Liberty star Marine Johannes, host nation France is moving onto face Team USA for Olympic gold.

Jul 29, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; France guard Marine Johannes (23) dribbles the ball while defended by Canada guard Shay Colley (2) during the first quarter 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

No matter what happens in the Paris Olympics' women's basketball finale on Sunday, at least one New York Liberty star wearing red, white, and blue will add gold to her wardrobe.

Host nation France capped the Olympic semifinal round in thrilling style, taking an 81-75 overtime decision from Belgium at Bercy Arena. The extra period was the first in an Olympic women's knockout round since Brazil defeated South Korea in Sydney's bronze medal game in 2000.

French star Marine Johannes will now get a chance to play for gold against her New York Liberty teammates Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart, who previously prevailed in the semifinal opener on Friday, handily taking down an Australian squad led by Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello. With an identical matchup awaiting on the men's side, this is the first time both genders boast the same two nations in an Olympic basketball tournament. The gold medal showdown is scheduled for Sunday in Paris (9:30 a.m. ET, NBC).

One of the most hyped showdowns of the tournament thanks to Belgium's Parisian proximity, Friday's game lived up to the hype: Les Bleus had to overcome a Belgian run of 22 consecutive points that extended between the second and third periods, one that put the Cats up by 15. A speedy 10-0 run for the French, bookended by Gabby Williams tallies set the stage for a thrilling conclusion, as neither team led by more than eight from there on out.

Though Johannes was held in check from the field (6 points on 1-of-10 shooting), plenty of French heroines rose up in her place after her 24-point tally in the quarterfinal round. Williams finished the night with a team-best 18 while Valeriane Ayayi had 17, including eight of the 28 French free throws. Liberty draft pick Marine Fauthoux got some clutch minutes and finished with a team-best plus/minus at 20. Despite her shooting struggles, Johannes had a team-best five assists.

The Parisian advancement party seemed well underway with Les Bleus leading 66-60 in the final minute. But a successful three-shot trip to the foul line for Julie Vanloo (Washington) cut the lead in half before consecutive turnovers got the Belgians the ball back. Top Cat and 2019 WNBA Finals MVP Emma Meesseman sank an equalizer with eight seconds remaning, forcing the historic fifth period.

A successful Williams and-one created on a fastbreak (off a rebound and assist from Fauthoux) gave France the lead for good. Williams wound up being responsible for half of the 18 points in overtime while Iliana Rupert hit a backbreaking triple that made it a six-point game with just under three minutes remaining. France is guaranteed its third Olympic medal over the last four tournaments, previously falling to the United States in London's gold game in 2012 and landing bronze in Tokyo three years ago.

Belgium, which saw Meesseman (19 points, 14 rebounds) fall four assists short of a triple-double, will still get a chance to salvage its second Olympic trip, as the Cats will face Brondello's Opals for bronze on Sunday (5:45 a.m. ET, USA).

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