Basketball
Olympic Basketball: Parker leads France to victory over Tunisia
Reuters
LONDON – Tony Parker scored a game-high 22 points and France all-but clinched a berth in the Olympic Games men’s basketball medal playoffs with a 73-69 victory over winless Tunisia on Saturday.
France improved to 3-1, second in Group A, and would secure a quarter-final berth if the US NBA Dream Team defeats Lithuania and Argentina downs Nigeria in later preliminary round games.
Tunisia pulled within 71-66 on an inside shot by Mohammed Hadidane with 50 seconds remaining but Nando do Colo rebounded a 3-point miss by Parker and sank two free throws with 16 seconds remaining to seal France’s victory.
Nicolas Batum scored 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds for France.
Hadidane scored 20 points to lead Tunisia while Makram Ben Romdhane added 17 points and eight rebounds.
