Day two of men’s basketball at the Paris 2024 Olympics featured two exciting games at Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille. The United States began their quest for a fifth consecutive gold medal, while South Sudan made history with their first Olympic basketball victory.
South Sudan, known as the Bright Stars, secured a 90-79 win over Puerto Rico. Carlik Jones led the way with 19 points and seven rebounds, with Marial Shayok adding 15 points. South Sudan’s dominance on the boards was a key factor, out-rebounding Puerto Rico 55-37 and scoring 24 second-chance points compared to Puerto Rico’s two.
Team USA kicked off their campaign with a dominant 110-84 victory over Serbia. Despite some pre-Games concerns, the NBA stars looked ready for gold, hitting 18 of 32 three-pointers. Nikola Jokic, Serbia’s three-time NBA MVP, scored 20 points, but it wasn’t enough against a sharp-shooting USA team led by Kevin Durant and LeBron James, who combined for 44 points.
GAME OF THE DAY: SOUTH SUDAN VS. PUERTO RICO South Sudan’s historic win over Puerto Rico in their Olympic debut was the highlight of the day. The Bright Stars, a nation that gained independence in 2011, proved their mettle by securing their first Olympic basketball victory. Carlik Jones, who impressed in warm-up games against Team USA, continued his strong play with 19 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.
PLAYER OF THE DAY: KEVIN DURANT Kevin Durant, despite missing all five of Team USA’s warm-up games, delivered an outstanding performance against Serbia. Coming off the bench, Durant scored 23 points on just nine shots, shooting 89% from the field and hitting all five of his three-point attempts. His scoring prowess provided a significant boost to Team USA’s offense.
OLYMPIC BASKETBALL RESULTS FOR SUNDAY, 28 JULY
- South Sudan 90, Puerto Rico 79
- United States 110, Serbia 84
UPCOMING MEN’S OLYMPIC BASKETBALL SCHEDULE No games are scheduled for Monday, 29 July. Play resumes on Tuesday, 30 July, with four games:
- Spain vs. Greece at 5:00 a.m. EST
- Canada vs. Australia at 7:30 a.m. EST
- Japan vs. France at 11:15 a.m. EST
- Brazil vs. Germany at 3:00 a.m. EST