Paris 2024 : Spirited South Sudan seeks to prevail through an all-star team USA

Paris Olympics 

Tuesday, 30 July, 2024 

McCreadie Andias 

An all star team USA has everything to fear from the fierce underdogs South Sudan as the two face off in an exiting clash at the Olympics game two on Wednesday, 31 July 2024. 

In an exhibition game between the two countries July 20 in London, the youngest basketball-playing nation on Earth came within one shot of beating the all-NBA, star-studded Americans. 

South Sudan led the game by as many as 16 points, and it took a dominant second half from LeBron James, including his bullish, game-winning drive to the hoop, as well as some rugged defense on the last play of the game to win 101-100 and prevent the ultimate upset.

The rematch is set for 3 p.m. eastern in a massive soccer stadium just outside of Lille, France on Wednesday.

Team USA who have won the men's Olympics in four straight tournaments come from a heavy 101-84 win against team Serbia where Kevin Durant played for the first time all summer after suffering a calf injury and led the Americans with 23 points; James added 21 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds. 

The U.S. committed 17 turnovers against Serbia and 12 against South Sudan.

Meanwhile, The African representatives recorded their first ever win at their Olympic debut in a 90-79 victory against Puerto Rico where their star playee Carlik Jones continued his strong play with 19 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.

Team USA haven't lost any of their previous nine matches against any opponent with 100% record but winning by a point against SS is something that really caught them off guard and now they have to Sharpen more their sleeves. 

“We have appropriate fear of everybody,” Steph Curry explained.

South Sudan guards are really fast at pace while despite the fact that they may be playing under the South Sudan flag, their top players were either born in North America, played there, or were otherwise trained far, far away from the country they now represent.

Marial Shayok, a Canadian-born forward who plays professionally in China, led his team in the exhibition with 25 points and six 3s.

Carlik Jones, who has played 12 NBA games over three seasons, produced a triple-double with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. 

Wenyen Gabriel, a former teammate of James on the Los Angeles Lakers, contributed 11 points and six rebounds, and JT Thor, who’s played with the Charlotte Hornets but is not currently on a team, scored 14 points. 

Khaman Maluach, who’s going to Duke, scored 7 points off the South Sudan bench. Their coach is Royal Ivey, an American who is an assistant coach with the Houston Rockets.