Victor Wembanyama scored eight of his 18 points in overtime to ensure France edged Japan 94-90 to maintain their unbeaten start at the Paris Olympics.
Japan looked set to cause an unlikely upset against the hosts, but Matthew Strazel's four-point play with 10 seconds of the fourth quarter remaining spared their blushes.
"The shot of his life," Wembanyama said on Strazel's shot that sent the game into overtime at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille.
Wembanyama then took centre stage, scoring the first eight points of overtime to give France a 92-84 cushion.
Japan would battle back and got to within two points of their opponents, but the home team were able to close out the contest at the free throw line.
Wembanyama also finished with 11 rebounds and six assists, and recalled the moment when the encounter changed in overtime.
"The realisation, the dynamic of the game," Wembanyama said.
"They were playing like underdogs and we were waiting for them to punch a little bit too much. I wanted to make a point and punch first in overtime. And it worked."
France remained in second place in Group B behind fellow unbeaten nation Germany, with the pair squaring off this Friday to see who will finish on top.
Dennis Schroder starred for Germany in the final game on Tuesday, as the Brooklyn Nets point guard notched 20 points and six assists in their 86-73 win over Brazil.
Clark sets WNBA assists record in Fever's loss
Caitlin Clark set the WNBA single-season record for assists with 320 in the Indiana Fever's 78-74 loss to the Las Vegas Aces on Friday night.
Clark scored all 18 of her points in the second half and finished with nine assists and eight rebounds. The rookie broke the mark of 316 set last season by Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun.
Clark was scoreless on 0 for 5 shooting in the first half and picked up her third foul when she was called for a charge late in the second quarter as the Aces took a 43-35 lead into the break. She scored 14 points in the third quarter to help the Fever trim a 13-point deficit to 60-57 heading into the fourth quarter.
Clark has continued to make history throughout her first year in the WNBA, surpassing the single-season three-point record among rookies on Aug. 28. She also dished out 19 assists in a loss to the Dallas Wings in July, setting a single-game record.
Tom Brady congratulates A'ja Wilson for breaking WNBA record
Tom Brady has taken to social media to congratulate A'ja Wilson for breaking the WNBA record for most points scored in a single season on Wednesday.
The Las Vegas Aces star scored her 941st point in the competition this term late in the first half of Wednesday's game against the Indiana Fever, having entered the matchup 11 points shy of the record.
She beat Jewell Lloyd's 2023 mark of 939 points, with her big moment coming when she sank a jumper from the free throw line with 26.4 seconds left in the second quarter.
Wilson ended the game with 27 points, 12 rebounds and two assists. She is averaging 27.3 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists this season.
Seven-time Super Bowl champion Brady bought a minority stake in the Aces in March, and he took to X to hail Wilson in the aftermath of her achievement.
"There are so many incredible players in the WNBA right now," Brady wrote. "But there's only one A'ja Wilson!"
Wilson responded to the NFL legend, simply telling him: "Appreciate you!"
Wilson still has four more regular-season games in which to improve on her historic haul, with another trip to Indiana the team's next assignment on Friday.
Aces star Wilson breaks WNBA single-season scoring record
A'ja Wilson now stands alone as the WNBA's leader for points scored in a single season.
The Las Vegas Aces star scored her 941st point late in the first half of Wednesday's game against the Indiana Fever to establish a new WNBA single-season scoring record.
Wilson arrived in Indiana 11 points shy of the record, and broke the mark of 939 points set by Jewell Lloyd in 2023 with a jumper from the free throw line with 26.4 seconds left in the second quarter.
The two-time league MVP came into the game averaging 27.3 points and 11.9 rebounds and went into half-time with 12 points and eight boards.
Wilson has plenty of opportunities to add to her scoring mark, as Las Vegas still has four regular-season games scheduled.
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