In their second meeting, the United States had a smoother experience against South Sudan compared to their first encounter a couple of weeks ago. However, it was not an easy victory as the Americans secured a spot in the quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics with a 103-86 win on Wednesday night.
The game was never in doubt, but it was not a walk in the park either. Bam Adebayo led the US with 18 points and Kevin Durant added 14 as the reserve players contributed 66 points. Adebayo commented that the bench players, also known as the “bench mob”, always manage to figure out their game regardless of who is on the lineup. Anthony Edwards scored 13 and LeBron James had 12 points for the US. South Sudan’s Nuni Omot led the team with 21 points, followed by Carlik Jones with 18 points and Bul Kuol with 16 points.
The victory secured the top spot in Group C for the US, along with Canada, France and Germany, who also qualified for the quarterfinals. The remaining seven teams still have a chance to claim the other four spots, except for Puerto Rico who has been eliminated. However, their upcoming game against Puerto Rico on Saturday is still meaningful for the US as a win would give them a better chance of securing a top-two seed for the knockout round and potentially an easier matchup in the quarterfinals.
Anthony Davis stated that although making the quarterfinals was not their ultimate goal, it still gives them a sense of satisfaction and they will continue to improve in their game. South Sudan will face Serbia in their final group game on Saturday, which will determine the knockout-stage fate for both teams. The quarterfinal draw will take place on Saturday night and all four games will be played on Tuesday in Paris.
South Sudan coach Royal Ivey compared his team’s journey to a movie, considering they are the youngest country in the world and overcame incredible odds to reach the Paris Games. Even if they do not win another game, their story will be an inspiration for years to come. In their exhibition game against the US on July 20, where James had to save the team with a last-minute shot, South Sudan almost pulled off an upset. However, in this “sequel”, the US dominated the game from the start, with Durant’s 3-pointer and Adebayo’s inside score leading to a 25-4 run and a 33-14 lead. Despite a slight comeback from South Sudan in the third quarter, the US maintained their lead and secured the win with a final score of 103-86.
US coach Steve Kerr made changes to the starting lineup, replacing Jrue Holiday and Joel Embiid with Anthony Davis and Jayson Tatum. Embiid did not play at all, while Tyrese Haliburton got his first chance to play in the Olympics as the US expanded their rotation to 11 players in the first half, leading to a 55-36 halftime lead. Although South Sudan outscored the US by 2 points in the second half, it did not affect the outcome of the game. Kerr praised the depth of the US team, stating that they have 12 players who are capable of dominating in every game and they are confident in their chances with such a talented roster.
