MANILA, Philippines – France has earned the final basketball spot in the Olympics, beating Canada 83-74 on Sunday in the championship game of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Manila, Philippines.
Spurs point guard Tony Parker scored 26 points for the French, who pulled away in the fourth quarter after the game was close most of the way.
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Fellow guard and former Spurs player Nando de Colo added 22 points. Former Spurs guard Cory Joseph scored 20 points and dished out six assists for Canada.
France fell just short of qualifying last summer when it lost to Spain in the EuroBasket semifinals, but it made the most of its final chance and joins Serbia and Croatia, who won the other two Olympic Qualifying Tournaments on Saturday.
France will play in Group A which features the US men's national team and fellow Spurs guard Patty Mills who is on the Australian national team.
Group B features another pair of Spurs players. Manu Ginobili will play for Argentina and Pau Gasol for Spain.
The 2016 Olympic Basketball Tournament will take place in Rio from Aug. 5-21.
On va aux JO !! #Rio2016 We are coming 🔝🇧🇷👊🏽 pic.twitter.com/1mFKLaPH0O
— Tony Parker (@tonyparker) July 10, 2016
We have now completed the official Draw of the #Rio2016 Men's Olympic #Basketball Tournament! pic.twitter.com/6eEYcbVBab
— FIBA (@FIBA) July 10, 2016