VILLENEUVE-D’ASCQ, France (AP) — Satou Sabally scored 23 of her 33 points in the first half to help Germany continue a dazzling Olympic debut in women’s basketball, beating Japan 75-64 on Thursday to clinch a spot in Paris for the quarterfinals.
Spain and Serbia grabbed the first quarterfinal berths with wins Wednesday.
Other quarterfinal berths on the line Thursday include host nation France, which can clinch its group with a win over Nigeria. The African nation has its own hopes of qualifying, needing both a win and an Australia victory over Canada.
The U.S., chasing an unprecedented eighth straight Olympic gold medal, needs only to beat Belgium in Thursday’s finale to book its spot in Paris.
Germany didn’t play Nyara Sabally after the forward for the WNBA’s New York Liberty had to be helped off the court in its opening win. Sabally wobbled while being helped off the court and to the locker room.
With her sister leading the way, Germany led 42-36 at halftime.
With just over three minutes left in the first half, German wing Leonie Fiebich caught her left ankle on the foot of Japan guard Nako Motohashi while reaching for a ball Satou Sabally tried to save from going out of bounds. Fiebich had to be helped to the bench, where trainers iced her ankle.
Fiebich returned for the third quarter. Japan tied it at 44 on a 3-pointer by Maki Takada, then Fiebich scored inside to put Germany ahead to stay. Germany finished the third on a 15-5 run for a 59-49 lead going into the fourth. It led by as many as 12 to remain undefeated in pool play.
Alexis Peterson added 11 points for Germany, and Luisa Geiselsoder had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Japan, which won silver at the 2021 Tokyo Games, will need a win and some help Sunday wrapping up against Belgium to grab one of the final two quarterfinal spots. Germany concludes pool play against the U.S.
Takada led Japan with 15, Saori Miyazaki had 13 and Saki Hayashi 11.
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