USA Edges South Sudan 101-100 in Dramatic Warm-Up Win

USA secured a dramatic 101-100 win over South Sudan, narrowly avoiding a major upset in a pre-Olympic warm-up game at the O2 Arena in London. South Sudan built a commanding 58-42 lead in the second quarter and maintained a 14-point advantage at halftime. However, the USA mounted a comeback with a 16-0 run. They ended the third quarter ahead by five points. Despite this effort, South Sudan regained the lead with 20 seconds left in the game. The USA then needed a critical play to secure the win.

LeBron James played a pivotal role in the second half. He scored a critical lay-up with eight seconds remaining to put the USA ahead by one point. As a result, South Sudan could not overcome this lead. James finished the game with 23 points, securing the USA’s victory. Meanwhile, Marial Shayok led South Sudan with 25 points and JT Thor’s three-pointer briefly put South Sudan ahead 100-99 late in the game.

After the match, LeBron James, 39, expressed satisfaction with the challenging game, saying, “That was better than the blowouts; at least we got tested.” Additionally, USA guard Anthony Edwards emphasized the match’s importance, noting that South Sudan’s performance showed the USA could be beaten. Both teams will face each other again in Group C of the 2024 Olympics on July 31.

Looking ahead, the USA aiming for their fifth consecutive men’s basketball gold medal at the Paris Olympics has won all four of their pre-Olympic exhibition games. They will play their final warm-up match against Germany at the O2 Arena on Monday. Meanwhile, South Sudan ranked 33rd in the world will make their Olympic debut.