France pulled out a 91–90 victory over Serbia in Orleans, with Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic producing standout performances in the exhibition rematch.
The teams met again just three days after Serbia won their previous matchup in Belgrade. France started strongly, with Wembanyama energizing the home crowd through dunks and consecutive blocks on Jokic.
Playing alongside Rudy Gobert, Wembanyama helped France control the interior and establish an early double-digit advantage. Sylvain Francisco led Les Bleus with 20 points, while Wembanyama finished with 19.
France extended its advantage in the second quarter and entered halftime with a 19-point lead after limiting Serbia offensively. Jokic responded after the break and led Serbia’s comeback.
The Denver Nuggets star finished with 34 points, 13 rebounds and five assists as Serbia erased the deficit and moved ahead in the fourth quarter. Nikola Jovic added 13 points.
The game remained close in the final seconds. Wembanyama converted important free throws before Marko Guduric scored with 4.7 seconds remaining to give Serbia a one-point advantage.
France had one final possession, and Jaylen Hoard converted a buzzer-beating layup to give Les Bleus the 91–90 win.
Both national teams will now turn their attention toward the 2027 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers before their NBA players return to their clubs.
France gets some payback over Serbia in a prep game
Nikola Jokic’s 34 points weren’t enough for his team#FIBAWC #StepItUphttps://t.co/TSgV7k8YsY
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) August 23, 2026
