DOUALA (Cameroon) - South Sudan took another significant step toward the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup by dismantling Libya 95-57 in their opening game of the third qualifying window, securing their place in the second round.
Their performance once again demonstrated why they remain the highest-ranked national team in Africa.
For Libya, it was a harsh reminder of the mettle of one of international basketball's most complete teams.
For everyone else, it was another display of what has become synonymous with the Bright Stars: aggressive defense, relentless pace, and an offense capable of overwhelming opponents from every angle. For nearly two years, South Sudan have established an unmistakable identity. They defend with discipline, rebound with authority, and attack with speed and purpose.
Their success isn't built around one superstar, it is built around a system that continues to produce results regardless of personnel.
Defense: The foundation of everything
The old basketball saying that "defense wins championships" has seemingly become South Sudan's identity. Everything begins on the defensive end, where the Bright Stars use their size, athleticism, and communication to suffocate opponents. Their ability to dominate the glass has become one of the defining features of their rise. Across 12 of their last 15 World Cup qualifying games, South Sudan have outrebounded their opponents. Even more impressively, they have now recorded at least a nine-rebound advantage in four consecutive qualifiers, consistently denying opponents second-chance opportunities while creating extra possessions for themselves.
That dominance starts with 27-year-old center Kur Kuath
Standing 2.08 metres tall and playing professionally for Spain's CB Gran Canaria, Kuath has developed into one of Africa's premier interior defenders. He ranks among the leading rebounders in the qualifiers, averaging 9.3 rebounds per game, including 6.3 defensive boards, while also averaging three blocks per contest—second-best in the competition. Alongside him, Deng Adel brings another layer of versatility. The 2.01-metre forward combines length, athleticism, and mobility to average 6.5 rebounds per game while providing the flexibility to switch across multiple defensive assignments.
South Sudan's frontcourt depth doesn't stop there
Mangok Mathiang gives coach Royal Ivey yet another elite defensive option.
Fresh from helping Rwanda's RSSB Tigers win the 2026 Basketball Africa League title where he was named Defensive Player of the Year, Mathiang adds experience, physicality, and the versatility to guard multiple positions while protecting the rim. The collective impact of those pieces allows South Sudan to switch defensively without sacrificing rim protection, making them one of the most difficult teams in Africa to score against. That depth was evident against Libya. Six South Sudanese players grabbed at least five defensive rebounds, highlighting a system where defensive responsibility is shared across the roster rather than carried by one or two individuals. "I think we're defensively one of the elite teams because we're connected, we communicate and we play together," head coach Royal Ivey told FIBA.basketball. "Basketball is more than X's and O's. We play with energy and effort, and these guys go out there to play till the buzzer sounds. Defensively, we try to control the pace, speed teams up, and force them into bad shots." It is this collective commitment, more than individual brilliance, that has turned South Sudan into one of the continent's toughest defensive units.
Offense: Fast, balanced and unselfish
If defense provides the foundation, offense is where South Sudan become truly devastating. The Bright Stars are not simply a high-scoring team; they are an efficient one. Their attack is born from defense, with defensive rebounds quickly transformed into fast breaks before opposing defenses have time to recover. Long rebounds become transition opportunities as defensive stops become easy baskets with every possession designed to maintain tempo and keep opponents under constant pressure. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of South Sudan's offense is its balance. Against Libya, four players finished in double figures, while two others narrowly missed out by a single point. Even without Both Tut, the Bright Stars never lacked scoring options, a reflection of the depth Royal Ivey has cultivated throughout the roster. Rather than depending on one dominant scorer, South Sudan attack in waves. The ball moves freely, players embrace clearly defined roles, and the offense consistently generates high-percentage looks instead of forcing contested shots. Despite regular changes to the roster between qualification windows, South Sudan continue to play with remarkable continuity.
Against Libya, only four players had featured during the opening qualification window, yet the offensive rhythm remained virtually unchanged, a testament to both the system and the players' willingness to buy into it. Although the Bright Stars excel at attacking the paint, they are equally capable of stretching defenses from long range. Averaging 8.5 made three-pointers per game, they punish teams that collapse into the lane, making them difficult to defend regardless of the scheme. At their best, South Sudan dictate both the pace and the physicality of the contest. Every defensive stop fuels another transition opportunity, forcing opponents into a relentless cycle of defending before they can establish any rhythm themselves.
A team built for the long haul
South Sudan's remarkable rise has not been driven by individual stars alone. It has been built on a clearly defined identity. They defend collectively, rebounding relentlessly and sharing the basketball to keep fluid a system that continues to produce winning performances regardless of who is available. As long as the Bright Stars continue to dominate the boards and receive balanced scoring throughout the roster, they will remain one of Africa's most formidable teams and one of the continent's strongest contenders to secure a place at the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Qatar.
FIBA