Serbia continued their remarkable run in the basketball World Cup after a 90-85 win over European champions France late Friday steered them into today’s final against holders United States.

The Serbs, who have secured their first World Cup podium finish as an independent nation, will head into the showdown with the US under no pressure after punching well above their weight in the 24-nation tournament.

They squeezed into the last 16 from a tough preliminary group with a 2-3 record but then brushed aside the more fancied Greece and Brazil before an impressive win against the French.

“It was a great match and this victory means the world to us,” forward Nikola Kalinic said.

“We will head into the final with our heads high and determined to play our best basketball.

“The match against the Americans will be a great experience for us. We won’t make idle threats, of course, but we won’t roll over either.”

An inspired performance by Milos Teodosic paved the way for the Serbs as the 27-year-old playmaker nailed 24 points, 18 of them in the first half when his team built a 46-32 lead.

France headed into the clash as favourites after stunning hosts Spain in the quarter-finals but were overran in the opening 20 minutes by a fast-flowing Serbian outfit who engineered plenty of easy baskets.

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