CAIRO (Egypt) - South Sudan stole the spotlight by reaching the semifinals of the U18 AfroBasket qualifiers for Zone 5 teams.
In their debut, South Sudan narrowly advanced in a do-or-die match to stay in contention.
They have joined hosts Egypt, Uganda, and Rwanda in the final four.
The winner of the regional qualifier will advance to the 2026 FIBA U18 AfroBasket, which is scheduled for August 5-16 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
Here's a look at how the Zone 5 semifinalists were determined.
South Sudan's historic win
After losing to neighboring Uganda 52-40 in their group opener, South Sudan had one goal in mind: to reach the semifinals. They achieved this goal by outscoring Kenya 75-59, improving their win-loss record to 1-1.
Josh Louis was pivotal for South Sudan, delivering a jaw-dropping performance with 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 10 assists, and registering a game-high efficiency rating of 27.
He was joined by Aguer Majak, who finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Deng Lual and Kuch Panchol also played a key role in South Sudan's victory, each finishing with 14 points.
Meanwhile, Ray Opiyo's 16 points and Emmanuel Choge's 15 were not enough for Kenya, who dropped to 0-2 and are out of the running for the region's sole ticket to the 2026 Abidjan showpiece.
Egypt remain perfect
In Sunday's second matchup, Egypt emerged victorious with a final score of 80-71 against Rwanda, maintaining their undefeated status in Group A
Semifinals' pairings set
After the group stage concludes, undefeated Uganda (2-0) will face Rwanda (1-1) in the semifinals on Tuesday.
In the second semifinal, Egypt (2-0) will face South Sudan (1-1).
Meanwhile, Kenya and Tanzania, who both finished the group stage without a win, will compete for fifth place.
FIBA