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French rout Aussies to reach men's basketball final

From Sports Illustrated • SI Images: Photos from the Games • Phil Taylor: U.S basketball team draws ire of fans • Richard Hoffer: A tale of two Rickys • Tim Layden: Jones', El Guerrouj's efforts were not failures • Alex Wolff: Lithuania almost lives the dream • John Walters: The Channel Guy -- NBC: Now Biased Coverage • Medal Picks: SI's Predictions More Features • Day at a Glance: Good fortune • Wake-up Call: Tracking the day in sports • Viewers' Guide: Sept. 29 • Quiz: Today's Tester Athletes • Just Checking In: U.S. soccer player Josh Wolff Multimedia • Photo Gallery: Shots of the Day • Photo Gallery: Will to win • Multimedia Central: Photo Galleries, Video and More

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SYDNEY, Sept 29 (AFP) - Laurent Sciarra had game highs of 16 points and seven assists as France crushed Australia 76-52 here Friday, dumping the Games' hosts to reach the Olympic men's basketball final for the first time since 1948.

France will face the winner of a later semi-final between the United States "Dream Team" and Lithuania, which gave them the closest fight any collection of National Basketball Association (NBA) stars has ever faced in international play.

France, which settled for silver behind the US team 52 years ago in their only prior men's basketball medal effort, gave the "Dream Team" a fight before falling 106-94 four days ago in a qualifying round match.

The French went only 2-3 in qualifying, level with China for the last playoff berth in their group and advancing only by virtue of an 82-70 triumph over the Asian champions.

But they ousted group champions Canada in a quarter-final and then, with starter Yann Bonato sidelined with a leg injury, overwhelmed the Aussies to reach Sunday's championship game.

Antoine Rigaudeau added 13 points while Stephane Risacher and Frederic Weis each scored 11. Weis also pulled down a game-high nine rebounds.

Trailing 44-29 at half-time, Australia made only one field goal in the first 10 minutes and 16 seconds of the second half while the French outscored them 16-5, Risacher scoring six points in the run and Rigaudeau adding five for a 60-34 edge.

An Aussie-filled crowd of 14,653 which came hoping to see their Boomers win and clinch their first-ever men's basketball medal instead were quiet most of the night and saw one of their team's most disheartening failures.

A 16-2 run that started midway through the first half boosted France's lead to 37-19, stunning the Aussies, who fell 20 points behind before scoring the final five of the first half.

Shane Heal and Andrew Gaze each scored 10 to lead Australia. Gaze, 35, plays his final game for bronze Sunday in hopes of ending his family's 40-year quest to bring Australia an Olympic men's basketball medal.

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