In a historic moment at the Paris 2024 Olympics, South Sudan’s men’s basketball team secured their first-ever Olympic victory, defeating Puerto Rico 90-79 in their Group C opener. This triumph marks a significant milestone for the world’s youngest nation, which gained independence in 2011 and has faced numerous challenges, including civil war and ongoing political strife.The game, held at the Pierre Mauroy stadium in Lille, was led by Carlik Jones, who scored 19 points for South Sudan. Other key contributors included Marial Shayok with 15 points, and strong defensive performances from players like George Conditt and Wenyen Gabriel. Despite a strong 26-point effort from Puerto Rico’s José Alvarado, the South Sudanese team, nicknamed the ‘Bright Stars’, dominated physically and took control in the second half.However, the victory was nearly overshadowed by a pre-game incident where organizers mistakenly played the wrong national anthem, causing confusion and anger among the South Sudanese players and supporters. Wenyen Gabriel even left the court in protest. After a brief delay, the correct anthem was played, receiving applause from the entire stadium, including the Puerto Rican players who showed solidarity by standing with their hands on their hearts.South Sudan’s coach, Royal Ivey, praised his team’s resilience and unity in the face of adversity. ‘It’s the pride for their country… These guys wanted to play. Wanted to hear their anthem. They messed up on the anthem, but they got it correct. We all make mistakes,’ Ivey stated.This victory is particularly remarkable given that South Sudan’s basketball federation was only established in 2011, the same year the country gained independence. The team now faces a challenging path ahead in the tournament, with upcoming matches against basketball powerhouses like the United States and Serbia.
Key points
- South Sudan’s men’s basketball team won their first-ever Olympic game, defeating Puerto Rico 90-79 in their debut at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
- The victory was led by Carlik Jones, who scored 19 points, while José Alvarado scored 26 points for Puerto Rico.
- A pre-game national anthem mishap caused confusion and frustration, but the team showed resilience to secure the win.
- This victory is particularly significant given South Sudan’s recent independence in 2011 and its tumultuous history.
Contradictions👾There are slight discrepancies in the reporting of player names, with some sources referring to ‘Carlik Jones’ and others to ‘Carlisle Jones’ or ‘Carlile Jones’.
These appear to be variations in spelling or transliteration rather than contradictions in the core information.
