South Sudan’s basketball workforce practically delivered a shocking upset to a United States workforce of NBA superstars on Saturday earlier than dropping 101-100 in an Olympics warm-up sport in London.
LeBron James, 39, the all-time NBA scoring chief, registered a game-high 25 factors, together with the deciding factors on a driving layup with eight seconds remaining on the O2 Enviornment.
South Sudan, who led 58-44 at half-time, took a late lead after an 8-0 scoring run and was poised to tug off one of many best shocks in worldwide basketball earlier than James saved the day.
“The ending was good for us — simply to really feel that, to really feel what it’s going to really feel like in Paris,” US coach Steve Kerr mentioned.
“Good expertise for us. reminder that after we play in opposition to groups, it’s the largest expertise of their lives and we now have to count on everybody to play like that.”
J.T. Thor, who has performed for the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets for the previous three seasons, sank a three-pointer with 20 seconds remaining to place South Sudan right into a 100-99 lead.
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After James made the successful shot, South Sudan had one remaining possession however Carlik Jones missed a jumper with six seconds remaining and Wenyen Gabriel missed on two put-back makes an attempt earlier than the ultimate buzzer.
“South Sudan was superb,” Kerr mentioned. “I didn’t do an important job of making ready my workforce. We didn’t focus sufficient on what they’re able to and that’s on me.
“I feel that actually allowed South Sudan to realize confidence early.
“As soon as we turned it up within the second half, that they had already knocked down a bunch of threes and have been feeling actually good about themselves.”
It was James who sparked a 23-5 US run from late within the third quarter to early within the fourth.
“Now we have to proceed to take a step ahead,” mentioned James, a two-time Olympic champion and four-time NBA champion.
“A number of these groups that we’re enjoying have been practising both one month or months prematurely and we now have perhaps two weeks collectively.
“So each sport, each movie session, we get a chance. Now we have to attempt to benefit from it, not taking any steps again.”
Cameroon-born Joel Embiid, who grew to become a US citizen in 2022, added 14 factors and 7 rebounds for the People.
Anthony Davis got here off the bench to provide 15 factors and 11 rebounds for the US squad of NBA stars.
“We’re not 100 per cent collectively, as we noticed tonight,” Davis mentioned, “However it’s like I mentioned, all the things is controllable.”
For South Sudan, ranked thirty third on this planet, Marial Shayok scored 24 factors, Jones added 15 factors, 11 rebounds and 11 assists and Thor had 14 factors off the bench.
Shayok performs in China and briefly performed alongside Embiid with Philadelphia whereas Jones performs for perennial Serbian energy Partizan.
The People will face South Sudan once more within the Olympics group levels on July 31 at Lille.