In their Olympics Games debut, South Sudan beat defeated Puerto Rico 90-79 to record their first win in the men’s basketball event at Paris 2024.
The South Sudanese team qualified as Africa’s top finisher in last year’s World Cup.
Carlik Jones scored 19 points for South Sudan in comeback win to open Group C play in an incredible performance by the African debutants, whose basketball federation was established in 2011.
It is the first Olympic basketball victory for South Sudan, which is playing in its first Olympics games after qualifying as Africa’s top finisher in last year’s World Cup. Marial Shayok added 15 points for South Sudan, which will next meet the U.S. on Tuesday.
The Tuesday’s Olympics basketball match will be a rematch against the star-studded American team who were rescued at the last-minute point by LeBron James to record a one-point win (101-100) against South Sudan in an exhibition game on Saturday in London.
