U.S. Triumphs Over South Sudan 103-86, Secures Quarterfinal Spot in Olympic Basketball
In a rematch that saw the U.S. men’s basketball team having an easier but still challenging game against South Sudan, the Americans clinched their place in the quarterfinals at the Paris Olympics with a 103-86 victory on Wednesday night. Bam Adebayo led the charge with 18 points, while Kevin Durant added 14, helping the team take control early on with a decisive 25-4 run in the first half.
Adebayo, a standout for the U.S. reserves, emphasized the strength of their depth. “We’ve been calling ourselves the bench mob for a long time now,” he said. “And it doesn’t matter who’s in the lineup. We always seem to figure it out.” The reserves contributed significantly, scoring 66 points overall.
Anthony Edwards and LeBron James also made notable contributions, scoring 13 and 12 points respectively. For South Sudan, Nuni Omot led with 21 points, Carlik Jones scored 18, and Bul Kuol added 16. Despite their efforts, South Sudan couldn’t keep up with the American team, who secured the No. 1 seed out of Group C and advanced to the knockout round.
Joining the U.S. in the quarterfinals are Canada, France, and Germany, with seven other teams vying for the remaining four spots. Only Puerto Rico has been eliminated from contention, making Saturday’s game against the U.S. more about pride than advancement. However, the game isn’t without significance for the Americans; a win would give them a perfect 3-0 record in group play and potentially a top-two seed for the knockout rounds, which could lead to an easier matchup in the quarterfinals.
“It’s not the goal,” U.S. forward Anthony Davis remarked about merely reaching the quarterfinals. “It does give us a sense of satisfaction as far as being able to play next week. But there’s a lot that we can get better at, a lot that we can clean up, and we’ll use Saturday’s game against Puerto Rico to tighten the screws again and then just see where it takes us from there.”
South Sudan, which faces Serbia next, has high stakes for their final group game. Coach Royal Ivey, reflecting on their journey, likened his experience to a movie, celebrating the team’s incredible achievement of just making it to the Olympics. Their story, hailing from the world’s youngest country and overcoming immense odds, will be remembered regardless of their performance in the remaining games.
Reflecting on their near-win against the U.S. in a 101-100 exhibition game in London, this official match felt like a sequel — and in movie terms, sequels often don’t match the original. South Sudan briefly led in the opening minutes, but the U.S. quickly turned the game in their favor, with Durant’s three-pointer and Adebayo’s inside score establishing a 33-14 lead. The rest of the game saw the Americans maintaining control.
“They’re a talented team,” U.S. guard Stephen Curry said of South Sudan. “On any given night, they can beat anybody.” South Sudan did manage to cut the lead to 10 in the third quarter, but the U.S. ended the period with a 73-57 advantage, comfortably cruising to victory in the final stretch.
Pre-game adjustments by U.S. coach Steve Kerr included starting Davis and Jayson Tatum while benching Jrue Holiday and Joel Embiid, with Embiid not playing at all. Tyrese Haliburton saw his first Olympic action, contributing to a strong first-half performance that ended with a 55-36 lead.
In the end, South Sudan outscored the U.S. by two points in the second half, but the early dominance by the Americans ensured the win. “We’ve got 12 guys who are all capable of dominating,” Kerr said. “Every night is going to be a little different. But we like our chances with the number of great players we have on our roster.”
As the U.S. moves forward, their focus remains on refining their game and leveraging their depth to achieve Olympic gold. With high expectations and a strong roster, they are well-poised to tackle the challenges ahead.
