Great Britain faced a tough defeat against South Sudan at the Copper Box Arena in London. This loss comes as South Sudan gears up for their first appearance at the Olympic Games in Paris, while the British team did not qualify for the upcoming Olympics. The match saw South Sudan take a narrow lead of 44-42 at half-time and maintain a tight grip on the game until the end.
Marial Shayok emerged as the top scorer for the visiting team with an impressive 27 points, followed by Bul Kuol contributing 15 points to the victory. The game was neck-to-neck and came down to the wire, with South Sudan successfully defending against Great Britain’s final attack to secure the win and prevent a tie with a three-point shot.
The match was a significant moment for Luol Deng, the president of the South Sudan Basketball Federation, who returned to London where he had previously played for Great Britain in the 2012 Olympic Games. The next game in the Summer Series at the Copper Box Arena will feature the Great Britain women’s team facing off against Germany on Sunday at 15:00 BST.
Looking ahead, South Sudan will be going up against the United States at the O2 Arena on 20 July as part of their ongoing preparations for the Olympic Games in Paris. The basketball events at the Paris Olympics are scheduled to take place from 27 July to 11 August, with separate medal events for men and women. The men’s final will be held on 10 August, followed by the women’s final on 11 August. The anticipation for the upcoming Olympics is high as teams like South Sudan make their mark on the global stage in basketball.