Ahmad 
South Sudan achieved a historic victory in its first Olympic match in the men’s basketball competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, defeating Puerto Rico 90-79.
The team achieved its victory in Group C, which includes the American team, which is seeking to achieve its fifth consecutive gold medal.
The team and the audience were exposed to an embarrassing situation when the organizing committee made a mistake in playing the national anthem of South Sudan, which angered them, but the audience and the players of the Puerto Rican team applauded in solidarity, and then the correct anthem was played.
The South Sudan team faced a difficult start, as it was behind by 0-8, and the team was able to reduce the difference to one point 16-17 after about five and a half minutes of the first quarter, which ended with them trailing by 8 points 20-28.
The South Sudanese team returned at the beginning of the second quarter and tied the score 28-28 with a basket from Peter Jok, but Puerto Rico regained its lead by 6 points at the end of the first half 54-48.
The team reduced the difference to one point 53-54 with a three-pointer from Marial Shayok at the beginning of the third quarter, then the African team advanced 56-54 with a three-pointer from Noni Omot and widened the difference to 8 points 69-61 with a three-pointer from Gut, to end the third quarter with a 3-point lead 71-69.
The South Sudan team maintained its lead in the last quarter, and the difference reached 13 points 86-73 with a three-pointer from Carlik Jones three minutes before the end.
George Condit reduced the difference to 9 points 77-86 with a minute and 22 seconds left, and Wenyen Gabriel scored a show basket in the last 54 seconds.
Majok Deng decided the match by executing two free throws with half a minute left, to end the match with a 90-79 win for South Sudan.
“We stuck to our game plan, we made three-pointers, we played fast and physical, we defended, and we prevented them from getting offensive rebounds,” said US coach Royal Ivey of the win.
Carlik Jones was South Sudan’s best player, scoring 19 points, with 7 rebounds and 6 assists, while Marial Shayok added 15 points.
Jose Alvarado and Termont Waters shone for Puerto Rico, scoring 26 and 18 points respectively.
South Sudan had embarrassed the US in a friendly match on the 21st of this month, losing by one point 100-101, and the two teams will meet again in Paris after being drawn in the same group, where they will face off next Wednesday.
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