Serbia holds off France 90-85, will play US for Basketball World Cup gold

Serbia's Vladimir Stimac reacts from the bench during a basketball World Cup semifinal match between France and Serbia at the Palacio de los Deportes stadium in Madrid, Spain, Friday, Sept. 12, 2014. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza) (The Associated Press)

Serbia's Nikola Kalinic challenges for the ball with France's Joffrey Lauvergne during a basketball World Cup semifinal match between France and Serbia at the Palacio de los Deportes stadium in Madrid, Spain, Friday, Sept. 12, 2014. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza) (The Associated Press)

Milos Teodosic scored 24 points and Serbia reached the championship game of the Basketball World Cup by beating France 90-85 on Friday night.

The Serbians will face the defending champion and unbeaten U.S. on Sunday.

Teodosic helped Serbia lead by as much as 18, but Nicolas Batum of the Portland Trail Blazers nearly brought the French all the way back, finishing with 35 points.

Boris Diaw of the San Antonio Spurs added 13 for France, which will play Lithuania on Saturday for the bronze medal.

The French upset Spain the quarterfinals, ending the expected gold-medal matchup between the Spanish and Americans. But the European champions got off to a slow start that couldn't be overcome even with their huge fourth quarter.