Gabby Williams scored 22 points as France beat Germany 86-64 to reach its first Women's World Cup final and set up a rematch with Team USA.
Gabby Williams scored 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting Saturday, and France beat host Germany 86-64 at Berlin Arena to reach a FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup final for the first time.
Germany led for 11 seconds. Marie Gülich hit a turnaround jumper with 37 seconds left in the opening quarter to put the hosts up 23-22, and France answered before the period ended. France led for 39 minutes and 25 seconds. The score was tied for 24 seconds.
France's answer ran from 1:05 of the first quarter to 6:41 of the second. Over that stretch the French shot 4-of-6 from the field and 2-of-4 from behind the arc. They did not turn the ball over once. Germany managed 5 points and two giveaways. The run was 12-5, the lead was 34-26, and the hosts never got in front again.
France coach Jean-Aimé Toupane said the semifinal was a tricky game.
"It means a lot. This is the first time we're taking it to this level," Toupane said. "You guys can see how French basketball all around the world is improving."
Gabby Williams Leads France Into First World Cup Final
Williams played 31 minutes, 19 seconds. She had 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Her 4 steals led the game. Inside the arc she went 6-of-7. She was not called for a foul and did not turn the ball over. Her efficiency rating of 31 was the highest on the floor. She finished plus-17, and FIBA named her TCL Player of the Game.
At the line, Williams made four of her five free throws.
"I've been through quite a few moments like that. I know what that kind of pressure is like," Williams said. "I know what's needed in those moments."
A crowd of 12,650 filled Berlin Arena. Sue Bird and Pau Gasol, both WNBA and World Cup ambassadors, were courtside, along with Dennis Schröder, Dirk Nowitzki, and former France internationals Sandrine Gruda and Isabelle Fijalkowski. Before tip-off a Germany jersey reading "Germany – you, us, one team" was unfurled. A chant of "Deutschland, Deutschland, Deutschland" started once the game began.
Germany turned the ball over 25 times. France gave it away 7, only 2 of those before halftime.
"When you have 25 of them and 10, 12 in my personal opinion were unnecessary or careless, it's very, very difficult to stay in a game against France," Germany coach Olaf Lange said.
Nyara Sabally scored 5 points on 2-of-2 shooting during a 7-0 German run in the third quarter, between the 6:59 and 5:36 marks, that cut a 16-point deficit to 54-45.
"It was really a fight tonight, I think we were ready for that," Marine Johannès said.
France's four previous wins in Berlin had come by an average of 39 points.
"I'm proud of the fight in this group, the determination, the encouragement during the matches, and simply their effort," Williams explained. "We were up against a good team tonight. We've had matches that were a bit easier so to speak, but I'm glad we didn't panic just because we didn't win by 20 points right away."
France Pulls Away From Germany in Fourth Quarter
The margin was 74-64 with 4:06 left in the fourth. France scored the next 12 points and did not concede another. Johannès had 6 of them on perfect shooting. Dominique Malonga added 4 from the free-throw line, a rebound, and a block. Ayayi, Marième Badiane, Williams, Janelle Salaün, and Leïla Lacan spent 7 minutes, 4 seconds on the floor together and outscored Germany by 9 in that time.
Salaün's double-double came in 27:06, and she shot 5-of-8. Her plus-23 was the best mark in the game. Johannès finished with 13 points and three 3-pointers. Valériane Ayayi scored 10. Gülich led Germany with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
The 22-point margin is the largest by a team other than the United States in a Women's World Cup semifinal. France came into the day averaging 98.8 points through four games and shooting 45.7% from 3-point range. Saturday was the first game in Berlin in which the French did not reach 90. It was also the first semifinal for both countries since the round was introduced in 1986. France won all 11 previous meetings with Germany dating to 1956, including an 85-63 result in the March qualifying tournament and an 84-71 win in the Paris 2024 Olympic quarterfinals.
France Gets Team USA Rematch for World Cup Title
The United States beat Spain 76-66 in Saturday's second semifinal. That game was tied at 58 through three quarters. Breanna Stewart scored 16 points and Kahleah Copper 13. The Americans have won 35 straight World Cup games. A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum are not with the team in Berlin, and Caitlin Clark has come off the bench through the knockout rounds. Napheesa Collier scored 19 in the quarterfinal win over Hungary.
Germany plays Spain for bronze at 10:30 a.m. ET Sunday. France plays the United States for the title at 2 p.m. ET, a rematch of the Paris 2024 gold medal game, which the Americans won 67-66.
