Paris 2024: Team USA eases past team South Sudan to secure a spot in Quater Finals

Paris 2024 

Wednesday, 31 July, 2024 

McCreadie Andias 

A star stunned Team USA went hard on African representatives, Team South Sudan in a 103-86 victory which secured them a spot in the Paris Olympics quarterfinals on Wednesday, 31 July, 2024. 

It was their second consequtive win in the Paris Edition following their win against Serbia in the opening match and will now look to close the group against trailing Puerto Rico on Saturday. 

The Americans' bench was devastating, racking up 66 points (compared with just 14 from South Sudan's) and going on two key runs that essentially defined the game.

Meanwhile, starters LeBron James, Antony Davis and Devin Booker combined 30 points against themselves in the down stretch. 

Former NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid warmed the bench as Beam Adebayor was subbed in claiming the cynosure in what would have been on of his best matches ever. 

Adebayor came off the bench with 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting with seven rebounds as the leader among six players who scored in double figures.

"I just think Steve trusts us," Adebayo said. "I feel like he looks at the benches, that spark, to come off the bench and really give us a boost, and we did that tonight."

Kevin Durant landed from the bench with 14 points, and Derrick White put in 10 points with three steals and a block. 

Key player and regular starters with six MVPs and nine championship rings among them, LeBron James, Steph Curry and Anthony Davis were a flop on the night and the American team had to turn their eyes to rhe bench for rescue. 

Durant, White, Adebayo, Jrue Holiday and Anthony Edwards came in and changed the game while Tatum who was a bench warmer in the Serbia game earned a mark in rhe my starting lineup against SS. 

South Sudan, an Olympic debutant with so much passion and excellent athleticism, is a great story and a dangerous team with a bright future. But it just couldn't compete against the USA squad depth atleast this time.

That U.S. group, supplemented by Devin Booker, went on a 23-4 run during the first and second quarters that essentially decided the game.

South Sudan showed a flicker of hope in the second half when Nuni Omot hit 24 points while Bul Kuol hit 16 cutting the lead from 19 points to 10 against the American starters. 

The Adebayor, Durant bench pushed it to 16 points by the end of the third quarter.