Player of the Day | France's Evan Fournier

TOKYO (Japan) - It took just one day for the men's basketball tournament to light up the Olympics in the Japanese capital.

Maodo Lo was unconscious from the three-point line for Germany, hitting six of nine attempts and pouring in a game-high 24 points. But Italy won their Group B clash, 92-82, led by the  sensational one-two punch of Simone Fontecchio and Nicolo Melli. Fontecchio nailed all five of his attempts from long range to record a line of 20 points, three steals and a block. Melli, meanwhile,  made the key plays over the last four minutes for the Azzurri as he  finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and two steals.

The player of the day, though, is Evan Fournier. Not only did he score a stunning 28 points, but he did so in an 83-76 Group A victory over the three-time defending Olympic champions, USA. Fournier, who showed plenty of savvy while searching out shots, came up with his biggest make just 57 seconds from the end. He drilled a go-ahead three-ball from the corner and the French never trailed again.

One of several France players with years of experience in the NBA, Fournier knew where he could score and did.

He drilled four three-pointers but he also put the ball on the deck en route to notable  success driving to the basket. He finished 11 of 22 from the floor overall.

What's more, he did it against the USA, the same country he led France past in the Quarter-Finals of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in China.

Fournier was utterly sensational again for France

It helps Fournier that he is surrounded by an experienced cast of national team players he has competed with on numerous occasions before. The USA couldn't just focus on him, not with Rudy Gobert, who had 14 points and nine rebounds, a constant menace  and not with Nando de Colo (13 points, five rebounds and five assists) pulling strings at point guard.

Fournier, who ravaged the USA with his scoring, is the pick of the players on Day One, though. There is no doubt about that.

FIBA