Hoard Silences Serbia with Buzzer-Beater as France Gets Revenge (91-90)

Three days to settle the score. France got its revenge on Serbia in Orleans, winning 91-90 in a thrilling finish decided by a Jaylen Hoard buzzer-beater, and evened the friendly series ahead of World Cup qualifying windows that begin this week.

Four Seconds of Madness

The ending was the kind that justifies an August friendly. Serbia, which had mounted a comeback after halftime, took the lead with four seconds remaining on a layup with contact from Marko Guduric. On the final possession, Serbia's defense collapsed on Sylvain Francisco, the hot hand, and the ball found Hoard completely open to score the game-winner at the buzzer at the Palais des Sports.

The script had been back-and-forth: France dominated the first half with a devastating second quarter (27-13) that built a 19-point lead, and Serbia answered after the break with a 14-27 run that brought tension back to the finish. The quarter scores tell the story: 27-22, 27-13, 14-27, and 23-28.

Jokic Dominant, Wembanyama Still Searching from Three

The battle of the titans had its nuances. Nikola Jokic was a force with 34 points and 13 rebounds, though he paid his only price at the free-throw line in the fourth quarter, finishing 13 of 18 from the stripe overall. Nikola Jovic was the only teammate in double figures with 13 points and 5 rebounds.

Wembanyama, meanwhile, showed marked improvement from Belgrade: 18 points on a perfect 5 of 6 from two-point range and 8 of 9 from the free-throw line, plus five rebounds and two blocks, though he continued to struggle from three-point range with an 0 of 4 that extends his outside shooting concerns from the first game. France's scoring was rounded out by Francisco, who was excellent with 20 points and eight in the fourth quarter on 4 of 7 from three, and Luwawu-Cabarrot with 19.

Now, the Real Business Begins

With the series tied at one apiece, both teams now turn their attention to the 2027 World Cup qualifying rounds. For Spanish fans, the game also carries an indirect reference: Spain's training camp begins tomorrow in Zaragoza, opening its qualifying window on the 28th against Portugal and visiting Greece on the 31st.