Saturday 2 September will go down as a historic day for the young nation of South Sudan.
Less than a decade after its basketball federation was inaugurated, South Sudan clinched the sole Paris 2024 qualifying spot for Africa on offer at FIBA World Cup 2023.
Chicago Bulls guard Carlik Jones completed his third double-double of the tournament – 26 points and 15 assists – to lead the World Cup debutants to a 101-78 victory over Angola in Manila’s Araneta Coliseum.
That left Egypt needing to beat New Zealand by 23 points or more across town in the Mall of Asia Arena, but the Tall Blacks took control in the second quarter before withstanding a late comeback to win 88-86.
Those results guaranteed South Sudan the highest finish of any African team in the tournament and, with it, a place in Paris.
Forward Nuni Omot, who scored 17 points, told FIBA afterwards, “It’s unbelievable, it’s a dream come true. We became an independent country in 2011.
Everything’s that’s happened in these last couple of years… No one ever imagined or dreamed of being in this position.
“Now we’re going to have the chance to walk across the Olympic stage with our flag. I’m so emotional right now. I’m just very blessed to be a part of it.”