RIO DE JANEIRO - Elizabeth Cambage scored 37 points including 18 in the fourth quarter to spark a furious late rally and carry Australia to a 92-86 win against plucky Japan at the Rio Olympics.
Japan's point guard Asami Yoshida (L) and power forward Ramu Tokashiki (R) hold off Australia's centre Elizabeth Cambage during a Rio Olympics basketball match on August 11, 2016
The comeback erased a 16-point fourth-quarter lead held by Japan as Australia went to 4-0 and in firm control of their group.
Mika Kurihara nailed six three-pointers en route to 20 points as the determined Japanese, now 2-3, looked set for an upset win.
Japan were leading 75-59 with nine minutes left in the game but Cambage soon caught fire inside and the Aussies roared back.
Meanwhile, France booked passage to the knockout phase as Sandrine Gruda scored 17 points and snagged 10 rebounds in a 74-64 defeat of Games host Brazil.
Brazil, which is now eliminated from the medal rounds, used the fast break to get out of the blocks early, scoring the first seven points.
France did not take the lead until 2:37 left in the first half when Gruda hit a short jumper to make it 31-29 for the French, who won silver in 2012 behind the dominant USA women's team.
The French eventually widened their advantage to as high as 15 points and were never seriously threatened the rest of the way.
Gaelle Skrela had 18 points for France while Brazil's Damiris Dantas led all scorers with 21.
France moved to 3-1 while Brazil is 0-4 with a game left.
In the other Group A game, captain Nevriye Yilmaz led Turkey with 26 points in a 74-71 win over Belarus.
Lara Sanders, an American import who was granted Turkish citizenship in 2012, added 22.
Turkey moved to 2-2 while Belarus dropped to 1-3.