On July 31st at dawn, in the Olympic men’s basketball group stage match, France defeated Japan in overtime by a score of 94-90 to secure their second win in a row.
The match did not unfold as expected, with the host French basketball team facing significant challenges, even at one point risking defeat. Fortunately, it was Strazela who stepped up, making a crucial three-point play that pushed the game into overtime. The extra time became Vincent van Gogh’s moment to shine. In the end, France managed to prevent Japan from pulling off an upset, though their performance was lacking in finesse.
Van Gogh started the game strong but ended on a low note. He scored 8 points and gave out 2 assists in the first quarter, shooting 3-for-3 with 2-for-2 from beyond the arc. By halftime, he had accumulated 10 points. However, in the second half, Van Gogh did not score any points. Had France lost, Van Gogh would have faced criticism post-match. Thankfully, the extra time saw him take control, scoring the first 8 points for France and becoming the pivotal figure in the victory. In total, Van Gogh played 31 minutes as a starter, making 6 shots out of 13, 3 shots out of 5 from three-point range, and all 3 free throws. He finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers, and 1 foul, with a plus-minus rating of -2. His redemption in extra time prevented any regrets.
Faried also started the game strongly, tallying 11 points and 6 assists by halftime. In the latter half, he found himself in a similar predicament to Van Gogh, but managed to break the deadlock with a key three-pointer. Faried played 30 minutes as a starter, making 5 shots out of 18, 2 shots out of 9 from three-point range, and both free throws. He ended the game with 14 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal. Alongside Van Gogh, he was one of only two starters who scored double digits. Although France won, the match did not feature much excitement.