Mr.Bottomtooth
08-31-2006, 04:37 PM
SAITAMA, Japan (AP) -- Mickael Gelable's layup with 1.8 seconds left gave France a 75-73 victory over Germany on Thursday in a classification game in the basketball world championship.
Germany's final possession ended when Dirk Nowitzki took an inbounds pass on the left sideline and as he turned to get off the possible game-winning shot, he stepped on the line with .9 seconds to go.
France (5-3) will play Turkey (6-2) for fifth place on Saturday. Turkey beat Lithuania 95-84 in overtime on Thursday.
Joseph Gomis, the French point guard who replaced the injured point guard who replaced injured star Tony Parker, hit a 3-pointer with 20 seconds left to tie the game at 73. Gomis, who came into the game averaging 3.8 points, finished with 17 and was 3-for-3 on 3s.
Germany (5-3) turned the ball over on the inbounds play after Gomis' shot. Germany opted to foul Boris Diaw near midcourt with 11 seconds left, hoping for a chance to win even he made both free throws.
Diaw, who plays for the Phoenix Suns, missed both, but Germany again turned the ball over as it was coming up court. Diaw grabbed the ball and found Gelable to the side of the basket and he made the tough layup with Nowitzki all over him.
Gomis started and played 22 minutes Thursday because Aymeric Jeanneau, who did a solid job in leading France to the quarterfinals for the first time since 1954. Parker, who plays for the San Antonio Spurs, broke his finger in the final exhibition game just days before the tournament started.
Jeanneau played six of the first seven games in the tournament hampered by a right thigh injury and he didn't play at all against Germany.
Ronny Turiaf, who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, added 15 points for France, while Diaw had 13 points and eight rebounds.
Nowitzki, who came into the game averaging 23.1 points, finished with 29, 21 in the second half.
Germany won the bronze medal in the 2002 worlds.
Germany's final possession ended when Dirk Nowitzki took an inbounds pass on the left sideline and as he turned to get off the possible game-winning shot, he stepped on the line with .9 seconds to go.
France (5-3) will play Turkey (6-2) for fifth place on Saturday. Turkey beat Lithuania 95-84 in overtime on Thursday.
Joseph Gomis, the French point guard who replaced the injured point guard who replaced injured star Tony Parker, hit a 3-pointer with 20 seconds left to tie the game at 73. Gomis, who came into the game averaging 3.8 points, finished with 17 and was 3-for-3 on 3s.
Germany (5-3) turned the ball over on the inbounds play after Gomis' shot. Germany opted to foul Boris Diaw near midcourt with 11 seconds left, hoping for a chance to win even he made both free throws.
Diaw, who plays for the Phoenix Suns, missed both, but Germany again turned the ball over as it was coming up court. Diaw grabbed the ball and found Gelable to the side of the basket and he made the tough layup with Nowitzki all over him.
Gomis started and played 22 minutes Thursday because Aymeric Jeanneau, who did a solid job in leading France to the quarterfinals for the first time since 1954. Parker, who plays for the San Antonio Spurs, broke his finger in the final exhibition game just days before the tournament started.
Jeanneau played six of the first seven games in the tournament hampered by a right thigh injury and he didn't play at all against Germany.
Ronny Turiaf, who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, added 15 points for France, while Diaw had 13 points and eight rebounds.
Nowitzki, who came into the game averaging 23.1 points, finished with 29, 21 in the second half.
Germany won the bronze medal in the 2002 worlds.