In their rematch, the US found the challenge against South Sudan less daunting than during their first encounter a couple of weeks prior.
Less daunting. Not effortless.
The US secured a place in the quarter-finals at the Paris Olympics by defeating South Sudan 103-86 on Wednesday night – a game that never truly seemed in jeopardy but wasn’t a complete walkover either. Bam Adebayo was the top scorer for the Americans with 18 points, while Kevin Durant contributed 14. The turning point came with a dominating 25-4 run in the first half.
Anthony Edwards scored 13 points, and LeBron James added 12 for the US. Nuni Omot led South Sudan with 21 points, followed by Carlik Jones with 18 and Bul Kuol with 16.
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This victory secured the US a spot in the knockout rounds and the top seed from Group C, joining Canada, France, and Germany in the quarter-finals. Seven teams remain in contention for the other four quarter-final slots, with only Puerto Rico, set to face the Americans on Saturday, already eliminated.
However, Saturday’s match – the first Olympic meeting between Puerto Rico and the US since a disheartening 92-73 loss in Athens two decades ago – carries weight for the US. Achieving a 3-0 group play record would enhance their chances of securing a top-two seed for the knockout round, potentially leading to a more favorable matchup in the quarter-finals.
South Sudan will conclude group play against Serbia on Saturday, a match that could have significant implications for both teams’ chances in the knockout stage. The quarter-final draw is scheduled for Saturday night, and all quarter-final contests will take place on Tuesday in Paris.
South Sudan coach Royal Ivey compared his life to a film after his team triumphed over Puerto Rico in their Olympic opener, and it’s easy to understand why. The tale of this team – hailing from the world’s youngest nation and overcoming incredible odds to reach the Paris Games – is a classic Olympic narrative that will be remembered for years to come, regardless of whether the African nation wins another game in France.
That said, if nearly defeating the Americans in London on July 20 during an exhibition – a nail-biting 101-100 game where James had to save the US at the last minute – was a film, this game was its sequel.
In the realm of cinema, sequels often fall short of their predecessors. This certainly was the case on Wednesday.
The initial moments post-opening credits were promising – South Sudan briefly held leads of 7-6 and 10-8 – but soon the storyline became predictable. Durant nailed a 3-pointer toward the end of the first quarter, establishing a double-digit lead for the first time, while Adebayo’s basket with 8:42 left in the half capped off a 25-4 run, giving the Americans a 33-14 advantage with relatively little intensity for the rest of the match.
South Sudan managed to reduce the deficit to 10 in the third quarter, but the US entered the final 10 minutes leading 73-57.
Most of the excitement, whatever there was, occurred before the game even began. US coach Steve Kerr altered his starting lineup, inserting Anthony Davis and Jayson Tatum while replacing Jrue Holiday and Joel Embiid. Embiid didn’t see any playing time, while Tyrese Haliburton made his Olympic debut as the US rotated 11 players in the first half, leading 55-36 at the intermission.
