For the sixth consecutive summer, France and Spain played in a major global basketball competition.
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Member of the France basketball team join arms during the national anthem before a men’s quarterfinal round basketball game against Spain at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016.
They meet again: Spain knocked France out in the quarterfinals of the 2012 Olympics, but France exacted some revenge in 2014, beating Spain in the World Cup – in Spain.
Ranked No. 2 behind the United States, Spain made up for a slow start in the Olympic tournament by dominating from the first quarter to rack up its fourth straight win here.
Now the Spaniards not only have a shot at a medal, but maybe another crack at the USA, which has beaten them in the gold-medal game in the past two Olympics.
For Spain – Eurobasket 2015 champs and silver medalists at the 2012 London Olympics and 2008 Beijing Olympics – it’s an Olympic gold medal for Gasol, Rubio, Fernandez, Calderon and Sergio Llull.
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France’s Tony Parker scored 14 in what could be his final Olympic game. He knew even before France had clinched a spot in the Rio de Janeiro Games.
