The Opals rebound; Germany, France and US reach quarterfinals in Olympic women's basketball

VILLENEUVE-D'ASCQ, France (AP) — Sami Whitcomb scored 19 points as Australia rebounded from a surprising opening loss in the Olympic women's basketball tournament and pushed Canada to the brink of elimination with a 70-65 victory Thursday in group play.

Canada, ranked fifth in the world, got a lift when host France beat Nigeria 75-54 later in the day. It is still in the mix for a spot in the elimination round in Paris going into Sunday's game against Nigeria in its group play finale.

Australia also came in needing a victory, or France's win could have eliminated the Opals with a game left in pool play. Australia reached the quarterfinals three years ago only to lose to the U.S. in the Tokyo Games. France became the fourth nation to clinch a quarterfinal berth with its win.

Germany continued its dazzling Olympic debut by beating Japan 75-64 to secure a spot in Paris for the quarterfinals. Spain and Serbia grabbed the first quarterfinal berths with wins on Wednesday.

The U.S., chasing an unprecedented eighth straight Olympic gold medal, became the fifth team into the next round after beating Belgium 87-74 in Thursday’s finale. That leaves three spots up for grabs as pool play concludes this weekend.

Canada's best Olympic finish was fourth in 1984. Australia came in ranked third in the world for its 10th Olympics berth, but it lost forward Bec Allen to ankle injury last week.

Steph Talbot, Marianna Tolo and Cayla George each scored 11 points for the Opals. Ezi Magbegor had 10.

Bridget Carleton led Canada with 19 points. Kia Nurse had 12, and Kayla Alexander added 10.

Australia led 18-16 after the first quarter and 38-32 at halftime.

Syla Swords, set to play college basketball at Michigan, drove to the basket for a layup that pulled the Canadians within 46-44. But Isobel Borlase answered with a floater, and Tolo's layup in the final seconds put the Opals up 51-44 going into the fourth.

They led by as many as 13 in finishing off a much-needed win.

Gabby Williams did a little bit of everything to ensure France plays for a second straight Olympic medal. She had 14 points, seven assists, five rebounds and six steals, keeping the loud home crowd revved up with Paris Games organizer Tony Estanguet in attendance.

Williams, who played at UConn and whose mother is French, made sure the host nation did not lose to the team that just knocked off Australia for its first Olympic victory in 20 years.

Nigeria closed 32-30 with 3:08 left in the second quarter on a floater by Elizabeth Balogun. Williams scored four quick points to help France to a 38-31 halftime lead.

Marine Johannes had 15 for France.

Ezinne Kalu led Nigeria with 18 points, and Murjanatu Musa added 14.

France seized control in the third, holding Nigeria to eight points after setting the Olympic mark for fewest points allowed in a quarter in its opening win over Canada. France led 54-39 in punching its ticket to Bercy Arena for Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

Nigeria's own hopes of qualifying remain alive going into its pool play finale.

Satou Sabally scored 23 of her 33 points in the first half to help Germany clinch its spot in Paris. Her sister, Nyara, didn't play, with the WNBA's New York Liberty forward in the concussion protocol after being helped off the court in the Germans' opening win.

Satou Sabally, a forward for the WNBA's Dallas Wings, handled her absence easily, tying for the eighth-most points in an Olympic game.

Japan tied it at 44 on a 3-pointer by Maki Takada with 8:22 left in the third quarter, then Leonie Fiebich scored inside to put Germany ahead to stay. Germany finished the third on a 15-5 run for a 59-49 lead going into the fourth. It led by as many as 12 to remain undefeated in pool play.

Alexis Peterson added 11 points for Germany, and Luisa Geiselsoder had 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Japan, which won silver at the 2021 Tokyo Games, will need a win and some help Sunday wrapping up against Belgium to grab one of the final two quarterfinal spots. Germany concludes pool play against the U.S.

Takada led Japan with 15 points. Saori Miyazaki had 13 and Saki Hayashi 11.

AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

Nigeria's Amy Okonkwo watches the ball go in during a women's basketball game against France at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (Sameer Al-Doumy/Pool Photo via AP)

Canada head coach Victor Lapena gestures to his team during a women's basketball game against Australia at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

France's Valeriane Ayayi, left, celebrates after scoring and drawing a foul as Nigeria's Amy Ezinne Kalu has words with her with France's Gabby Williams between them during a women's basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Canada's Sami Hill, left, shoots as Australia's Alanna Smith defends during a women's basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Germany's Satou Sabally, center, shoots as Japan's Stephanie Mawuli, right, defends and Japan's Evelyn Mawuli watches in a women's basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, Pool)

Tony Estanguet, President of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee, poses with fans during a women's basketball game between Nigeria and France at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

France team members celebrate from the bench after France scored a three-point basket during a women's basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Australia head coach Sandy Brondello yells to her team during a women's basketball game against Canada at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Canada's Aaliyah Edwards, left, and Canada's Kayla Alexander, right, reach for a rebound along with Australia's Steph Talbot during a women's basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Belgium's Beckey Massey, left, and United States' A'ja Wilson grapple for the ball during a women's basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

United States head coach Cheryl Reeve gestures during a women's basketball game against Belgium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

United States' Breanna Stewart, center, celebrates after scoring as Belgium's Emma Meesseman, right, runs along during a women's basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Members of the Australia team celebrate from the bench after Australia scored during a women's basketball game against Canada at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Japan's Maki Takada, right, shoots as Germany's Luisa Geiselsoder defends during a women's basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Japan head coach Toru Onzuka gestures during a women's basketball game against Germany at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Japan's Rui Machida, fourth from left, celebrates with teammates after hitting a three point shot during a women's basketball game against Germany at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Japan's Nanaka Todo, left, takes the ball as Germany's Leonie Fiebich falls during a women's basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Japan's Saki Hayashi, right, shoots as Germany's Marie Guelich defends during a women's basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Germany head coach Lisa Thomaidis gestures during a women's basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Germany's Nyara Sabally sits on the bench during a women's basketball game against Japan at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Germany's Frieda Buhner, left, and Germany's Satou Sabally, right, reach for a rebound along with Japan's Evelyn Mawuli in a women's basketball game at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (Sameer Al-Doumy/Pool Photo via AP)

Hezbollah pounded northern Israel with 140 rockets Friday, a day after the militant group’s leader vowed to retaliate against Israel for a mass bombing attack, the Israeli military and the militant group said.

Israel’s military said the rockets came in three waves Friday afternoon targeting sites along the ravaged border with Lebanon.

In Gaza, Palestinian authorities said 15 people were killed overnight in multiple Israeli attacks.

An airstrike early Friday morning in Gaza City hit a family home, killing six people including an unknown number of children, Gaza’s Civil Defense said. Another person was killed in Gaza City when a strike hit a group of people on a street.

Israel maintains it only targets militants and accuses Hamas and other armed groups of endangering civilians by operating in residential areas. The military, which rarely comments on individual strikes, had no immediate comment.

Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in the territory since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. The ministry does not differentiate between fighters and civilians in its count but says a little over half of those killed were women and children.

Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.

Meanwhile, the leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah is promising to retaliate for deadly attacks on its communication devices after Israel’s defense minister announced a “new phase” of the war. Fears are increasing that 11 months of exchanges of fire between the two sides will escalate into all-out war.

Hezbollah began striking Israel almost immediately after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that sparked the Israel-Hamas war. They have come close to a full-blown war on several occasions.

Here's the latest:

Palestinian authorities say 15 people were killed overnight in the Gaza Strip in multiple Israeli attacks.

An airstrike early Friday morning in Gaza City hit a family home, killing six people including an unknown number of children, Gaza’s Civil Defense said. Another person was killed in Gaza City when a strike hit a group of people on a street.

In Beit Hanoun, north of Gaza City, another person was killed and several others injured when a vehicle was hit by an Israeli strike, the Civil Defense said.

Late Thursday, six more people were killed in a strike that hit a home in the center of Gaza City, while another was killed in Beit Lahya, north of Gaza City.

Israel maintains it only targets militants and accuses Hamas and other armed groups of endangering civilians by operating in residential areas. The military, which rarely comments on individual strikes, had no immediate comment.

The war has caused vast destruction and displaced about 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million.

BAGHDAD — A leader of an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia was killed Friday in a strike in Syria, a war monitor and a militia official said.

Iraq’s Kataeb Hezbollah group — which is different from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah — said in a statement that Abu Haidar al-Khafaji was killed “while performing his duties as a security advisor in Damascus.”

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights had earlier reported that a leader in Iraq’s Kataeb Hezbollah group was killed and another person injured in a drone strike on the car they were traveling in on the road to the Damascus airport.

An official with an Iraqi militia confirmed that a car carrying a group of militia members was struck in Damascus, killing one person and injuring three others. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

There was no comment from Israeli officials on the strike. Israel frequently strikes Iranian and Iran-linked groups in Syria but rarely acknowledges the strikes.

Tensions have heightened in the region following a wave of apparently remotely detonated explosions in Lebanon targeting pagers and walkie talkies belonging to the Lebanese Hezbollah. The attacks, widely blamed on Israel, which has not commented on them, killed at least 37 people - including two children - and wounded about 3,000.

— By Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad

BEIRUT — Israel’s military killed two Hezbollah members who were planting explosives along the border over the weekend, Israel’s military and an official with a Lebanese group said.

The official with a Lebanese group said the two members of the militant group were killed Sunday and their bodies were taken by Israeli troops because they were too close to the fence along the tense frontier. The official spoke Friday on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

On Thursday, Israel’s military released a video it said was taken by one of the fighters showing the militants coming under fire. The military said that the two fighters were killed by Israeli troops as they tried to plant an improvised explosive device near a military post.

In the days following the tense border interaction, thousands of devices exploded in different parts of Lebanon and Syria, killing 37 people and wounding around 3,000 others. The attack was blamed on Israel, and many of those killed or injured were members of Hezbollah.

Associated Press writer Bassem Mroue contributed to this report.

Hezbollah members carry the coffin of their comrade who was killed when a handheld device exploded, during a funeral procession in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Right-wing Israelis with relatives held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and their supporters, rally against a hostage deal, in Jerusalem, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. The placard in Hebrew reads: " To bathe in his blood." (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)

Houses are engulfed in fire as the Israeli army raided the northern West Bank town of Qabatiya on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)

Palestinians duck for cover as the Israeli army raided the northern West Bank town of Qabatiya on Thursday, Sept.19, 2024. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)

FILE - Hezbollah fighters carry one of the coffins of four fallen comrades who were killed Tuesday after their handheld pagers exploded, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein, File)