The place is South Sudan? You would possibly ask. Nicely, after testing the all-mighty Staff USA this weekend, you in all probability received’t neglect them now. Actually, the U.S. males’s nationwide group ought to have nightmares when excited about how the African nation virtually upset them throughout Saturday night time’s exhibition match earlier than the upcoming Paris Olympic Video games.
If it wasn’t for LeBron James’ last-second heroics, the American squad may need not been capable of escape with a 101-100 win on the O2 Area. That is why South Sudan, who at one level lead the scoreboard by 16 factors, are known as the ‘Vivid Stars.’
The matchup was so dramatic, that even former Hornets participant JT Thor virtually dropped in a shot from the deep with 20 seconds to the ultimate buzzer, however wasn’t capable of put it inside the web and bury Staff USA.
Coach Kerr recognizing the group after final night time’s exhibition. 🇸🇸 pic.twitter.com/LF0uiZIKjx
— South Sudan Basketball (@SSBFed) July 21, 2024
After the match, Steve Kerr took on all of the duty of not realizing an excessive amount of about their opponent’s recreation earlier than the conflict. “I didn’t do a fantastic job making ready our group, I believe we didn’t focus sufficient on what they’re able to and that’s on me,” mentioned Staff USA’s head coach.
“They performed an exquisite recreation and the ending was good for us simply to really feel that. To really feel what it’s going to be like in Paris and Lille … an excellent reminder that after we play in opposition to groups, it’s the most important recreation of their lives and now we have to count on everybody to play like that,” he expressed postgame.
If it wasn’t for the likes of LeBron, who seems because the roster’s principal chief even at 39 years of age, america would’ve in all probability misplaced the competition. The Lakers famous person scored 25 factors and made consecutive energy performs in a 23-5 run from late within the third quarter to early within the fourth.
“Don’t take nothing away from South Sudan,” the NBA’s all-time main scorer mentioned this weekend. “They performed extraordinarily good basketball and that’s why the sport is received in between the strains and never all on paper.”
Steph Curry, alternatively, additionally contributed with two clutch photographs from past the arc. “We may be beat if we don’t play our model of basketball. And our model of basketball is taking part in protection,” mentioned Curry, who ended that night time with 12 factors to his identify.
Kerr acknowledged that the squad felt ’embarrassed’ at halftime and praised Staff USA’s means to react and conquer the sport within the remaining seconds
In Steve Kerr’s personal phrases, the locker room admitted that they’d been “completely outplayed” at halftime, as they have been trailing by 14 factors and even felt “embarrassed,” to being outplayed by South Sudan. Regardless of this, the Warriors tactician determined to not play leaders like James into the third quarter to present the second group the possibility to alter the sport’s course.
“I believe the entire group was embarrassed at halftime to be completely outplayed and down 14,” Kerr shared. “And I don’t suppose [James] was actual thrilled about me not beginning him within the third quarter. However I assumed that subsequent group that we put on the market actually did an excellent job defensively. And I seemed down a few occasions and I can see LeBron chomping on the bit to be out on the ground as quickly as he obtained on the market and he went to work, so he was good.”
As for the South Sudan coach Royal Ivey, who additionally serves as an assistant coach with the Rockets, he couldn’t conceal his satisfaction for not shying away in opposition to the gold-medal contenders by placing up a combat your complete contest. He hopes to take this similar power into the Olympics and produce some historic performances.
“We wish to take the momentum, the mindset, the tenaciousness that we had [to the Olympics],” mentioned the tactician who works in Houston. “We didn’t flinch.”
