Gasol drives Spain into Basketball WC final

BEIJING: NBA champion Marc Gasol saved Spain on Friday as they battled back to beat Australia 95-88 after a second overtime period and reach the Basketball World Cup final.

They will face either France — quarter-final winners over reigning two-time champions the United States — or Argentina in Sunday’s decider in Beijing. A thrilling semi-final was 71-71 at the end of regulation time and the two sides could not be separated at the end of a nervy first overtime.

Finally, the 2006 world champions Spain jubilantly emerged after the Boomers appeared to run out of juice. Sergio Llull hit two three-pointers in the second overtime for Spain to cap their comeback.