Former Knicks Lead France to Gold Medal Match

Two former New York Knicks will compete for a gold medal on Saturday.

Jeremy Brener | Aug 8, 2024

Aug 2, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; Germany point guard Dennis Schroder (17) controls the ball against France shooting guard Evan Fournier (10) in the first half in a men’s group B basketball game 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

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New York Knicks

Two former New York Knicks will represent their country at the gold medal match at the Paris Olympics.

Evan Fournier and Frank Ntilikina, who both are representing France in the Olympics this summer, are heading to the gold medal match after a 73-69 win against Germany in Thursday's semifinal.

While Germany took a lead in the first quarter, they were held to just eight points in the second by the stingy French defense. The two teams were tied 33-33 when they went to the locker rooms at halftime.

In the second half, France pulled ahead with an 8-1 run at the end of the quarter, giving them a lead going into the final 10 minutes. France extended its lead in the fourth quarter with a 10-3 run that was finished off by a 3-pointer from Ntilikina, his only attempt from downtown during the game.

Germany tried to come back, bringing it to within two points in the final seconds, but it wasn't enough to pull out a win.

Ntilikina finished the game with five points while Fournier also scored five points off the bench. No. 1 overall pick and reigning Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama struggled, making just 4 of 17 from the field with 11 points. Former Boston Celtics first-round pick Guerschon Yabusele led the French with 17 points while EuroLeague star Isaia Cordinier added 16 of his own.

For Germany, Dennis Schroder led all scorers with 18 points while Orlando Magic star Franz Wagner added 10 of his own to the table.

The win gets France to the gold medal match, marking the first time since 1996 that the host nation will medal. They will face the winner of Serbia vs. United States, which is set to tip off at 3 p.m. ET on Peacock.

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Published Aug 8, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.