France back in men's basketball gold medal game after win over Germany in Paris Olympics

PARIS (AP) — With blue, white and red flags waving in the stands and cheers blaring around them, France's players took in the moment.

Matthew Strazel erupted in dance. Evan Fournier ripped his jersey off and skipped around. Later, the team gathered in a circle at center court as fans erupted in an encore of, “Allez Les Bleus!” — “Let’s go Blue!” —- to serenade them.

Yes, the hometown team is headed back to the Olympic gold medal game. On Saturday they host a rematch of the 2021 Tokyo Games won by the U.S. The Americans advanced after rallying from 17 down to beat Serbia 95-91 in the other semifinal on Thursday.

“We just want to win,” said Guerschon Yabusele, who scored 17 points in France's 73-69 victory over Germany. “Whoever, we're going to figure it out."

Isaia Cordinier added 16 points and Victor Wembanyama finished with 11 points and seven rebounds to help France – which won the silver medal in Toyko three years ago --- reach its second straight Olympic final.

The raucous crowd at Bercy Arena was engaged from the very beginning, hanging on every basket. And when the buzzer sounded, it sent fans into a frenzy. After a postgame handshake with their German opponents, the entire team ran to the baseline and saluted the crowd — which seemed to get louder to acknowledge the tribute.

“It was insane tonight," said France's Nicolas Batum. "I can’t imagine what it’s going to be Saturday. I can’t wait.”

Dennis Schroder led Germany with 18 points. Franz Wagner added 10 points and eight rebounds.

The loss ended the incredible run the Germans have been on over the last two years. Dating back to winning last year’s World Cup, they had won 12 consecutive games in major international competition.

“After the first quarter, they kind of took us out of our rhythm,” Wagner said.

With French and German basketball icons Tony Parker and Dirk Nowitzki sitting side-by-side at courtside, France outscored Germany 38-25 in the second and third quarters to take a 56-50 advantage into the fourth.

Germany didn’t go down quietly.

It closed within 69-65 on a layup by Schroder with under a minute to play. Following a free throw by Frank Ntilikina, Germany cut the deficit to 70-68 on a deep 3-pointer by Wagner.

France dribbled the shot clock down, but Nicolas Batum came up empty on a 3-point attempt. Wagner got the rebound, but tumbled out of bounds as he tried to turn and dribble up the court. Germany was forced to foul Wembanyama.

The 20-year-old stepped to the line and missed his first free throw, then calmly dropped in the second to give France a three-point lead with 10 seconds remaining.

France opted not to allow Germany a shot at 3-pointer an possibly tie the game, fouling Schroder and sending him to the line. He also connected only 1 of 2, leaving France up by two. Cordinier was fouled and hit both free throws to seal the game.

France stayed with the same modified starting lineup it deployed during its quarterfinal win over Canada, opening the game with Wembanyama, Yabusele, Cordinier, Nicolas Batum and Ntilikina. Evan Fournier and Rudy Gobert began the game on the bench for the second straight game.

It didn’t yield the same initial success this around, as Germany took a 12-2 lead.

It forced France coach Vincent Collet to change things up less than four minutes in, inserting Fournier and later Mathias Lessort to help settle things down. They did, and France got back within seven points heading into the second quarter.

France kept that momentum going, outscoring Germany 15-8 over the next 10 minutes to send the game to halftime tied at 33.

The flurry included a two-handed, poster-ready dunk by Wembanyama over Daniel Theis that brought French fans to their feet.

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

Victor Wembanyama (32), of France blocks the sghot of Daniel Theis (10), of Germany during a men's semifinal game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (Aris Messinis/Pool Photo via AP)

Isaia Cordinier (8), of France shoots past Moritz Wagner (13), of Germany during a men's semifinal game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (Gregory Shamus/Pool Photo via AP)

Mathias Lessort (26), of France attempts to block a shot by Johannes Thiemann (32), of Germany during a men's semifinals basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Dennis Schroder (17), of Germany battles for the ball against France during a men's semifinals basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Moritz Wagner (13), of Germany goes up for a basket against Rudy Gobert (27), of France during a men's semifinals basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Victor Wembanyama (32), of France celebrates after a men's semifinals basketball game win against Germany at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Dirk Nowitzki and Tony Parker watch the France vs' Germany game during a men's semifinals basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Victor Wembanyama (32), of France scrambles for possession against Daniel Theis (10), of Germany during a men's semifinals basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Isaia Cordinier (8), of France celebrates after a men's semifinals basketball game win against Germany at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Team France celebrates after beating Germany during a men's semifinals basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

KEHL, Germany (AP) — Germany on Monday began random checks at its borders with five Western European nations as it seeks to crack down on irregular migration, expanding a system of controls that are already in place at four other borders.

The police controls began at the borders with France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Denmark on Monday morning and are due to continue for six months. Germany has already been carrying out the checks at its borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland since last year.

Germany, a European Union member, announced last week that it was expanding border checks to all nine of its land borders this week as part of an effort to crack down on irregular migration and crime following recent extremist attacks.

Last month, a knife attack blamed on a Syrian asylum-seeker in Solingen killed three people. The suspect claimed to be inspired by the Islamic State group. In June, a knife attack attributed to an Afghan immigrant left a police officer dead and four other people wounded.

The border controls are testing European unity because it is seen by some as a step away from the spirit of the EU's free travel arrangement known as Schengen. The freedom of citizens in Europe to travel freely across borders for work and pleasure is one of the most beloved benefits of the EU.

According to the EU, member states are allowed to temporarily reintroduce controls at the EU’s so-called internal borders in case of a serious threat, such as one to internal security. But it also says border controls should be applied as a last resort in exceptional situations and must be time-limited.

Such limitations are often put in place during major sporting events, including the recent Olympic Games in Paris and the European soccer championship.

The unpopular coalition government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz has imposed the border controls as it seeks to crack down on irregular immigration after the far right did well in two recent state elections in eastern Germany. Another is coming next Sunday in Brandenburg, the state surrounding Berlin.

German police officers stop a bus at the border between Germany and France in Kehl, Germany, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024 as Germany controls all his borders from Monday on. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

German police officers stop a bus at the border between Germany and France in Kehl, Germany, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024 as Germany controls all his borders from Monday on. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

German police officers gather at the border between Germany and France in Kehl, Germany, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024 ad Germany controls all his borders from Monday on. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

A German police officer holds a machine gun at the border between Germany and France in Kehl, Germany, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024 as Germany controls all his borders from Monday on. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

German police officers gather at the border between Germany and France in Kehl, Germany, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024 as Germany controls all his borders from Monday on. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

A coach coming from Austria is checked at the border checkpoint on the A93 highway near Kiefersfelden on the German side Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (Peter Kneffel/dpa via AP)

German police officers stands at the border between Germany and France in Kehl, Germany, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024 as Germany controls all his borders from Monday on. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

German police officers gather at the border between Germany and France in Kehl, Germany, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024 as Germany controls all his borders from Monday on. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

German police officers stop a bus at the border between Germany and France in Kehl, Germany, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024 as Germany controls all his borders from Monday on. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

A police officer checks vehicles near the border with Belgium in Aachen, Germany, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024 Roberto Pfeil/dpa via AP)

16 September 2024, Lower Saxony, Bunde: Police officers check a van at the Bunderneuland border crossing, in Bunde, Germany Monday, Sept. 16, 2024 as Germany has extended its existing border controls in the east and south of the country to the land border in the west. (Lars Penning/dpa via AP)

Two German Federal Police officers patrol at the border crossing to Poland in Frankfurt/Oder, Germany, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. (Patrick Pleul/dpa via AP)

German police officers stand at the border between Germany and France in Kehl, Germany, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024 as Germany controls all his borders from Monday on. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)