France's Gabby Williams Leads Team to First World Cup Final

For the first time in 73 years, France's women's basketball team is guaranteed to stand on a World Cup podium, and they have Gabby Williams to thank for making history happen.

Williams led France to a stunning 86-64 victory over Germany in Berlin's semifinal matchup, delivering 22 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals. The forward's dominant performance earned her Player of the Game honors and sent the French squad to their first-ever World Cup Final.

The win means everything for a team that hasn't medaled since the very first Women's Basketball World Cup in 1953. Now they're one game away from gold, waiting to face either USA or Spain in the championship match.

Williams also etched her name in the record books by becoming France's third all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with 187 career points. She passed FIBA Hall of Famer Celine Dumerc during the victory.

But this wasn't a one-woman show. Janelle Salaun posted an impressive double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Marine Johannes and Valeriane Ayayi both hit double figures in scoring.

France's 22-point margin of victory set another record as the biggest semifinal win by any team other than the USA in Women's World Cup history. The team also protected the ball brilliantly, committing just 7 turnovers while forcing Germany into 25 mistakes.

A sold-out crowd of 12,650 fans packed the arena in Berlin, including basketball legends Sue Bird, Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, and Dennis Schroder. French icons Sandrine Gruda and Isabelle Fijalkowski watched from the front row as their nation made history.

Why This Inspires

This victory shows what happens when teams believe in themselves and play together. France took exceptional care of the ball, trusted each other on defense, and refused to be intimidated on Germany's home court. They turned what could have been overwhelming pressure into the performance of their lives.

Germany still has plenty to celebrate too, as they'll compete for their first-ever World Cup medal in the bronze medal game.

After seven decades of waiting, France's women have finally broken through to basketball's biggest stage.