PRETORIA (South Africa) - Four years ago, the Bright Stars of South Sudan made their debut in the 30th edition of AfroBasket, the premier men's national team competition. They played for a decent seventh-place finish.
However, as they head to the 2025 edition, which is set for August 12-24, they are one of the teams to beat. They have risen through the ranks to become the top team on the continent and are loaded with World Cup and Olympic experience.
We haven't won anything and are in no position to overlook anyone. Jo Lual Acuil Jr.
While they had to wait until the last minute to secure their spot in the 2021 AfroBasket qualifiers, the Luol Deng–coached team secured their spot in Angola with two games to spare earlier this year.
Former Basketball Africa League (BAL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) Jo Lual Acuil Jr., who led the way in the second round of the qualifiers, says the team is hungry for silverware.
"It means a lot to play at the AfroBasket," the 31-year-old who will be making his debut, having missed the 2021 edition.
He added: "It is going to be a spectacle kind of way for us to put African basketball on the map. It is bigger than representing your country and more of representing the entire continent."
South Sudan is the highest-ranked team in Africa, coming in at 23rd in the world. They are in Group C with Angola, who will be tough opponents as hosts. The Southern Africans are also the third-highest ranked team in Africa.
"Despite being ranked the best team in Africa we haven't won an AfroBasket title, and the most important thing is getting some type of silverware to show the resurgence of basketball that has been happening in our country," Acuil Jr., who says he has heard good things about the competition and is and eager and excited to experience the physicality, and pace, went on.
The 2.13m (7 ft) center admitted that it was time for the Bright Stars to rethink their preparation plans after losing two of their six AfroBasket Qualifier games to DR Congo and Mali,
Asked how they would come up against the top teams in the continent in Angola, Acuil Jr. replied: "Any time in these tournaments the best team, on the day, wins as this is not a series, and it makes it interesting. We haven't won anything and are in no position to overlook anyone.
"We are going in extremely hungry and that will be our main focus the whole training camp. We want to be as ready as we possibly can. We don't want to make any mistake about it as we are going to the AfroBasket to try to win it."
During the group phase, South Sudan will face Angola, which is ranked 33rd in the world—ten places below South Sudan.
South Sudan will also face Guinea, which dropped two places in the latest rankings to 75th globally and 11th in Africa.
Finally, South Sudan will face Libya, which is ranked 16th in Africa and 94th in the world.
Despite these challenges, Acuil Jr. has expressed confidence in his team.
"We are blessed to have a good group of talented players. Luol [Deng] and his staff do a good job picking the teams and the squad goes out to play for each other and give the best they can.
"We are not too worried about who gets what accolade. We have the best time off the court and that's what we really look forward to in Angola. Just like we saw in the Qualifiers in Morocco, anyone can beat anyone. Every team is going to be tough so we have to be ready," he added.
FIBA