17 Sep 2011

Spain to play France in Euro basketball final

10:27 am on 17 September 2011

Holders Spain and France will meet in the European basketball championship final, and qualified for next year's Olympics, by beating Macedonia and Russia respectively.

The Spaniards, who won their first European title in Poland in 2009, overpowered tournament upstarts Macedonia 92-80 while France, looking for their maiden major championship crown, beat Russia 79-71.

Both sides also progressed to the 2012 London Olympics along with hosts Britain.

Russia, Macedonia, hosts Lithuania and Greece will enter a 12-team playoff for another three berths.