Diaw's play helps France slay Spain

— -- MADRID -- France upset Spain 65-52 in front of its stunned fans in the quarterfinals of the Basketball World Cup on Wednesday.

After dominating its first six games and blowing out France by 24 points in the group phase, Spain appeared to be the main candidate to dethrone the United States in a possible final that would have been a rematch of the past two Olympic gold-medal games.

But France defended well and rebounded even better to ruin Spain's quest for a title for a second straight summer, after France also ousted Spain from the last European championship.

Boris Diaw scored 15 points and Thomas Heurtel added 13 for France.

Pau Gasol had 17 for Spain.

France will face Serbia in the semifinals on Friday in Madrid.