France closed on an 18-3 run over the final 5:28 to defeat Team USA, 89-79, in the quarterfinals of the 2019 FIBA World Cup on Wednesday.
The loss snapped Team USA’s 58-game international winning streak, and sends the U.S. team home without a medal for the first time since 2006.
Team USA had already qualified for the 2020 Olympics with a depleted roster missing top NBA stars like Steph Curry, Lebron James, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
The missing star power was evident from the get-go for this group, which was beaten badly in a scrimmage against G-League players last month, then lost an exhibition to Australia on its way to China for the World Cup.
Things had seemed to turn around in the right direction, though, with the U.S. team going undefeated into knockout play.
France, led by Orlando Magic forward Evan Fournier and Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, would prove to be a tough out, getting 22 points from Fournier and 21 points and 16 rebounds from Gobert.
Team USA led 76-71 with 5:28 left, but would miss eight of its last nine shots from the floor from then on, with three turnovers and three misses at the free-throw line.
Utah Jazz (and former Louisville) guard Donovan Mitchell led the U.S. team with 29 points on 12-of-23 shooting from the floor.
UVA alum Joe Harris (Brooklyn Nets) had five points on 2-of-3 shooting in 19 minutes for Team USA. Harris averaged 7.7 points per game on 56.7 percent shooting from the floor in the World Cup.
Story by Chris Graham
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