JUBA (South Sudan) - The Bright Stars of South Sudan turned heads by becoming the youngest nation to qualify for both the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
At the upcoming AfroBasket in Angola from August 12-24, South Sudan is expected to capture the spotlight, with fans eager to see if the East African nation can conquer the continent.
As the top-ranked team on the continent, South Sudan has a lot to live up to as the youngest nation.
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1st (Africa), 23rd (World)
After finishing seventh at the 2023 AfroBasket, the South Sudanese worked their way up to become the number one team in Africa.
South Sudan finished with an 11-1 record in its group in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers.
Road to Angola
South Sudan secured its spot in the AfroBasket tournament by finishing the qualifiers with an impressive 4-2 record.
The Bright Stars secured two victories over Morocco, as well as wins against the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mali, ensuring that the East Africans would be among the 16 nations competing in the tournament.
However, the journey was not without setbacks. Losses to the Democratic Republic of Congo in November and to Mali in February served as a reality check, highlighting the intense competition in the qualifiers.
Despite these losses, South Sudan's overall performance demonstrated resilience and growth, solidifying its place among Africa's emerging basketball contenders.
AfroBasket History
In their 2021 AfroBasket debut, South Sudan secured group-stage wins against Cameroon and its East African neighbor, Uganda.
Their second-place finish led to a playoff win against Kenya, but they fell to the eventual champions, Tunisia, in the quarterfinals.
Coaching Staff
Federation president and former NBA All-Star Luol Deng masterminded the Bright Stars' successful qualification for the AfroBasket.
It's not the first time Deng has led South Sudan to a basketball milestone.
Deng did, for some time, coach the national team during the 2021 AfroBasket qualifiers, in November 2020 and February 2021.
The 3-3 record in those qualifiers saw South Sudan qualify for its maiden AfroBasket.
Key players
Nuni Omot
Omot played in three qualifiers for South Sudan, and he came out blazing in the 82-66 win over Morocco in the qualifiers. His 17 points against Morocco helped South Sudan get off to a good start in the qualifiers.
Against DR Congo and Mali, Omot had quiet games, managing nine points in both games. Given the magnitude of the AfroBasket, fans can expect the forward to step up for South Sudan.
Lual Acuil
Acuil was impactful for South Sudan in the last three games, adding to his country's firepower. He posted 14.7 points per game, 9.7 rebounds per game and 1.3 assists per game in the qualifiers. A player who can get to the rim, he was 18/31 in the paint.
Wenyen Gabriel
Former NBA player Gabriel played in two games against Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the opening window of the qualifiers. He posted a double-double (20 points and 10 rebounds) in the loss to Congo. Gabriel has built extensive experience playing in the World Cup and at the Paris Olympics.
Outlook
South Sudan is among the nations touted for the AfroBasket trophy - the talent at its disposal is superior, and it has made the Bright Stars the top team in Africa. In a couple of weeks, in Angola, they will show what all the hype is about.
FIBA