BANGKOK (FIBA U19 World Championship for Women) - Twice defending champions the United States outscored France 23-9 in the middle of the third quarter and hung to finish an 88-75 win over France in the quarterfinal on Friday.

The win took the US to their fourth successive semifinal entry. The US went on to win the gold on three of those occasions, including back to back gold medals in the last two editions.

The Americans, under coach Carol Owens, now take on Canada in the semifinals.

France did well to hold the more fancied Americans on their toes for the most of the encounter, but found no reply when the US recorded a 23-9 run starting two minutes into the third quarter.

Guards Skylar Diggins and Samantha Prahalis each scored a three-pointer to score seven points and five points respectively as forwards Kelsey Bone and LaSondra Barrett both scored twice each on the paint and the US were on course to retain their gold medal. Shenise Johnson converted two free-throws and Chay Shegog one during this time.

Those were the only the scoring moments for Prahalis but the Ohio State guard effected a game-high seven assists.

"They (Diggins and Prahalis) got into foul trouble early, but came back very well to put us back in the game. "We're on our quest to win the gold, and are yet looking to play our best basketball," Owens said.

Nnemkadi Ogwumike - the leading scorer for the Americans in the competition -scored six points in the first quarter to keep her team in the race and scored as many in the fourth for a team-high 16 points.

Diggins, who scored nine points in all in the third quarter, also had 16. Bone accounted for 12 points, along with collecting six rebounds.

Johnson led the rebounds for the game with eight collections, to go with her 10 points, as the US dominated the board 44-26.

On playing Canada, whom the US beat 64-50 in the eight-final round, Owens said: "It won't be an easy game. Like we saw them beat Australia, they are a good team. And every team here will be tough, that's why this is the World Championship."

"One thing that's important is that we are in the medal round. From now, it's one game at a time. And we will do exactly that - focus on the game on hand," she added.

Laurie Datchy was the leading scorer for France with a  game-high 17 points.

Medelome Medenou scored 12 points.

FIBA