France dominate Argentina, advance to Rio Olympics

NANTES (2016 FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament) - France on Friday came up with an emphatic 90-53 win over Argentina to book a place at the Rio Olympics.

Playing in front of a sell-out crowd, the hosts of the 2016 FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament (WOQT) completely dominated their opponents in the day's last Quarter-Final. 

Turning Point: The South Americans withstood the home side's offensive in the opening quarter to trail just by three, 18-15, but the French gradually grew in confidence and upped their play the rest of the way to register a very comprehensive win.

Stats Don't Lie: In need of a spark and energy, Argentina felt helpless as their leading scorers Melisa Gretter and Gisela Vega could only combine for 8 total points. The game became even harder for Christian Santander's team in the paint, where they were out-rebounded 62-31. 

Game Hero: Endy Miyem again led the way for France. The 1.88m forward shot 5-of-10 from the field to finish with a game-high 21 point. 

The Bottom Line: Taller, stronger and more efficient in the paint, France confirmed their status as favourites in reaching the Olympics for the second time in a row. Despite missing all 12 of their three-point attempts on the night, Les Bleues were deserving winners.

FIBA