South Sudan – Puerto Rico: winner South Sudan

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July 27, 2024

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Our pick: South Sudan – Puerto Rico: winner South Sudan

28.07.2024 11:00

Back at the London 2012 Olympics their team didn’t exist, now South Sudan’s basketball players can write one of the most impressive stories of this year’s Games in Paris.

Representatives of one of the poorest countries on the planet, which does not have a single indoor basketball arena, in a dress rehearsal before the Olympics, were reaching for a sensational win over the Americans, who were saved from a blunder by LeBron James with eight seconds to go. Either way, the result (100:101) and the performance of the African team resonated and confirmed that they are a force to be reckoned with in Paris. Overseas, he has already earned the nickname Bright Stars. The squad is a mix of players who have played all over the world (Canada, USA, Serbia, China, Australia), but most importantly it is cohesive and determined to make a difference.

The opening match against Puerto Rico will be crucial for South Sudan’s promotion ambitions, after all Serbia and the USA are at a higher level. The Puerto Ricans took advantage of their home environment in qualifying, leaving Italy or Lithuania behind, but once they headed to Europe to prepare, their performance went downhill steeply and they are the biggest underdog in the tournament. They lost all four preliminary matches, with their defence not working at all (Australia 75:90, Canada 93:103, Spain 84:107).

What to bet on:

In their only group match at last year’s World Cup, the Puerto Ricans won 101:96 after overtime (81:81). But the Sudanese are getting better and better with each match, and the duel against the Americans boosted their confidence, which they will translate into a win over Puerto Rico.

Confidence:

7/10

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