RIO DE JANEIRO (Rio 2016 Olympic Games) - France overcame the absence of inspirational leader Celine Dumerc and a sluggish start to beat Turkey, 55-39, in getting the Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament underway at the Youth Arena.

The Turks were quickest out of the gates, taking a 14-4 lead on a three-point play by Nevriye Yilmaz. However, Les Bleues found their composure and got better as the game progressed, while also clamping down and at times completely shutting down Turkey's offense.  

Turning Point: Bahar Caglar cut Turkey's deficit to 43-39 with 6:11 left to play. However, it proved to be their last points as they were outscored 12-0 the rest of the way.

Stats Don't Lie: Turkey shot 1-of-12 in the second quarter as France outscored them 14-3 in the period to turn a 16-8 deficit after the opening 10 minutes into a 22-19 advantage at halftime. After the two teams were evenly matched and showed off some impressive outside shooting in the third quarter, the Turks couldn't find the mark in the final frame, hitting just 2-of-13 attempts from the field in getting outscored 14-4.

Game Hero: Sarah Michel had the hot hand, going 4-of-6 from three-point range. She finished with 14 points, to go along with 8 rebounds and 4 steals.

The Bottom Line: France showed the depth of their roster as 11 of 12 players took to the court and helped them register a vital win against their European rivals. Turkey will feel they let an opportunity slip by and must put this disappointment behind them as they prepare to face mighty Australia on Sunday.

FIBA