France overcame a sluggish start to beat Brazil 78-66 in their 2024 Olympic men’s basketball opener Saturday at the Decathlon Arena in Lille.
Les Bleus trailed by as many as 12 points in the first half thanks to some hot outside shooting from Brazil’s Léo Meindl. But France found their footing in the second quarter and eventually took a 39-36 lead after an Evan Fournier triple in the final minute of the half.
Washington Wizards torch bearer Bilal Coulibaly first checked in with 2:15 left in the first quarter. He didn’t stay on the floor for long but did manage to make an impact on the defensive end.