Nicolas Batum blocked a Klemen Prepelic driving layup attempt with four seconds left, preserving a 90-89 France win over Slovenia in the Olympic semifinals on Thursday.
UVA alum Mike Tobey had 23 points and eight rebounds for Slovenia, which will face Australia for the bronze medal on Saturday.
The Slovenians had rallied from a 10-point third quarter deficit to tie the game at 85 on a Tobey stickback with 3:07 to go, and after a Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot three put France on top 90-85 with 54 seconds left, got it back to one on a three by Prepelic 20 seconds later.
Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic rebounded a Nando De Colo miss with 21 seconds left to give Slovenia the last shot.
Doncic, who recorded a triple-double – with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 18 assists – was double-teamed by the French defense with six seconds left, so he got the ball to Prepelic, who had an open lane initially, but Batum, who plays in the NBA with the Los Angeles Clippers, slid over and blocked the shot at the rim, then tipped it out toward the backcourt as the final seconds ticked off the clock.
Tobey was 10-of-14 from the floor.
He is averaging 13.8 points and 11.6 points per game in the 2021 Olympics, shooting 62.5 percent from the floor.
Story by Chris Graham
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