France, led by NBA star Tony Parker, got off to a perfect start Tuesday as the world's fifth-ranked basketball team threw off the Philippines 93-84 in their bid to win a slot at the Rio Olympics. The veteran San Antonio Spurs point guard added 21 points and six assists to Nando De Colo's 27 points and six rebounds as the French backcourt led a fightback from an early 10-point deficit to the host nation. "Tony Parker was a handful with the ball screen offence... The real strength of the French was in their guards," the Philippines' American coach Tab Baldwin told reporters.
