South Sudan arrived at the Paris Olympics with a series of firsts.
The young nation, which has only been around for 13 years and has endured war, qualified for its first Olympic basketball tournament and went into Wednesday’s game against the U.S. coming off its first Olympic win.
Now, they have a new milestone: their first Olympic loss.
South Sudan nearly surprised the U.S. with a one-point loss in an exhibition game before the Games, using their quickness and determination to overcome the NBA stars’ superior skills.
On Wednesday, despite a few impressive moments and a brief lead early on, South Sudan was outmatched in the rematch, losing 103-86.
Even with the loss, Nuni Omot, who led South Sudan with 25 points, felt they learned a lot about their ability to compete with the best in the world.
“A lot of people have told me that I belong to play with those guys,” Omot said. “I think tonight shows my ability to do what I’m capable of doing. … The Olympics is the 12 best teams that are competing right now. Just to be able to be one of the 12 teams is an honor.
I think people are going to know who I am now. And it’s not about me. But people are going to know who South Sudan is.” U.S. star Stephen Curry expressed respect for South Sudan.
“The fact that they’re on this stage and won their first game a couple of days ago. So who knows how far they can take it?” Curry said. “You’re rooting for them, except when we play them.”
South Sudan was down by as many as 21 points in the first half but managed to cut the deficit to 12 in the fourth quarter. However, they couldn’t overcome the clock and a stronger finish by the U.S.
In the exhibition game in London earlier this month, South Sudan made the U.S. team reflect on their performance as they aimed for a fifth straight Olympic gold medal.
After missing his first four shots, Bul Kuol finally ended South Sudan’s scoring drought with a one-handed dunk. This was followed by a 3-pointer from Omot and, a few plays later, a layup by Marial Shayok, giving South Sudan its first lead of the game.
However, this burst of energy didn’t last long. The U.S. finished the quarter with a 20-6 run, taking a 26-14 lead into the second quarter. During this run, South Sudan struggled to handle the U.S. pressure.
At one point, Sunday Dech was closely guarded by Jrue Holiday for about 10 seconds, leading to a bad pass and turnover.
In another situation, JT Thor couldn’t get a clear shot in the paint with Anthony Davis nearby and ended up taking a wild shot that missed badly.
“I think we did what we like to do, they just did a good job of being physical,” said Carlik Jones, who scored 18 points. “They tried to take us out of our spots and our plays. … We competed until the end.”
The crowd at Pierre Mauroy Stadium was cheering for South Sudan to win, giving them a loud cheer during pregame warmups. Omot was ready for the spotlight, wearing light green Nikes with silver streaks that sparkled under the stadium lights.
Even though the excitement faded, South Sudan’s spirit remained high, and they still have a chance to continue their Olympic journey.
South Sudan will play Serbia on Saturday in their last group-stage game, with the winner joining the U.S. in the knockout round in Paris.
