Boxscores | Photo Gallery

VIDNOJE (FIBA U21 World Championship for Women) - France blew away Brazil in the second half on Friday to set up a semi-final showdown with Australia at the FIBA U21 World Championship for Women.

Sandrine Gruda poured in 21 points and pulled down 11 rebounds for Les Bleues, who won 85-68.

The way Brazil played up to half-time, a demolition looked very unlikely.

The South Americans trailed 41-39 with 57 seconds remaining in the second quarter after a Jacqueline Silvestre jump shot.

Silvestre was lively in the period and finished the first half with 10 points, and she began the second half well with a basket to close the gap to 43-41.

France have been one of the classy sides in the Moscow Region this week and once they hit stride, Brazil had no chance.

Endene Miyem's jumper was followed by a three-ball from Pauline Jannault and then a basket from Sandrine Gruda, a center who will be with the senior team come September at the EuroBasket Women in Italy.

A 15-0 run over the last three minutes of the third quarter which continued into the fourth killed off the hopes of the Brazilians.

Gruda began the onslaught by scoring five on a three-point play followed by a jumper, and Sylvie Gruszczynski capped it off with a shot from the arc to make it 72-49 with 8:45 left in the game.

There was no way back for Brazil.

The lead ballooned to 31 points midway through the fourth quarter as France dominated, and Brazil looked nothing like the side that had competed so well for over 20 minutes.

FIBA