USA vs South Sudan 2024 Olympics Preview and Game Thread: Rematch in Paris

After a memorable showdown in the lead up to the Olympics, USA and South Sudan will rematch on Wednesday at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

The United States men’s basketball team will look to build off their solid start in the 2024 Olympics as they take on South Sudan on Wednesday. This will be the second match of the preliminary round for both teams, who are aiming to advance to the quarterfinals.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: United States vs South Sudan

When: 12 p.m. PT, July 30

Where: Pierre Mauroy Stadium, Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France

Watch: USA Network, Peacock

During Team USA’s showcase leading up to the Olympics, it was no other than South Sudan that challenged them the most among their four games. Led by former Lakers big man Wenyen Gabriel, Sudan shocked the world by forcing Team USA to come back from down 15 points and rely on captain LeBron James to save the day for them.

It’s arguably the most exciting game the Americans have had thus far and, luckily for us basketball fans, these two countries meet again in a game that matters this time. USA (1-0) and South Sudan (1-0) are undefeated so the winner of this match will move to the top spot in Group C. Here are three key factors to look out for ahead of Wednesday’s thrilling battle:

Can Team USA limit their unforced errors?

It’s hard to nitpick anything from Team USA’s dominant 26-point win against Serbia especially knowing that James and Kevin Durant put on a show. But since the United States aims to be the best version of themselves, they can start by addressing their penchant for fouling and turning the ball over — two of their few flaws in their most recent win.

The Americans had 18 fouls and 17 turnovers versus Serbia, which can’t happen against a South Sudan team that plays with a lot of effort and urgency. Remember, this Sudan team has a bunch of athletic wing players as well as active guards on the perimeter, so the Americans have to expect a more aggressive opponent on Wednesday.

Who wins the 3-point battle?

The biggest reason why South Sudan came close to beating the United States last time was because they shot lights out from the field, especially in the first half. Sudan excelled from beyond the arc, converting 42.4% of their 33 attempts in a game where the Americans shot just 25%. Now, one can say that Sudan’s shooting performance that night was an anomaly but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen again.

Fortunately for the red, white and blue, they’re coming off their best shooting performance against Serbia, where they converted 56.3% of their three-point shots. Let’s see if Durant, Devin Booker, Stephen Curry and co. remain hot on Wednesday.

Who is going to step up inside the paint?

South Sudan’s biggest strength is their presence inside the paint because of their length. While just three days into the Olympics, Sudan leads all teams in rebounds (55) per game and are ranked second in blocks. Everyone, from their big men to guards, makes an effort to rebound the ball.

That’s why this game is going to be huge for USA’s big men. One of the best ways the Americans can limit Sudan’s production is to take away their presence in the paint.

South Sudan is coming off their first ever basketball victory in the Olympics after they defeated Puerto Rico 90-79 on Sunday. Led by Carlik Jones’ 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists, the South Sudanese limited Puerto Rico to just 25 points in the second half.

Marial Shayok (15 points), Peter Jok (11 points), Nuni Omot (six points) and Bul Kuol (six points) all helped in the win as well. But it’s one thing to do this against Puerto Rico and another versus a United States team that has yet to lose this summer.

Let’s see if the Americans can make it two in a row as they attempt to inch closer to the Quarterfinals with a win against South Sudan on Wednesday.

Notes and Updates

• After Team USA’s first victory against Serbia, there was a lot of talk about head coach Steve Kerr’s decision not to play Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum. However, Kerr himself said Tatum would play on Wednesday.
• No injuries have been reported for Team USA or South Sudan. Expect both teams to be healthy for Wednesday’s match.
• For the rest of Group C, Puerto Rico (0-1) will face Serbia (0-1) as both teams look to stay alive in the tournament.
• Outside of Group C, Rui Hachimura and Japan (0-2) — who are in Group B — are also in jeopardy of being eliminated from the tournament after suffering a second Olympics loss on Monday, this time to France. Meanwhile, Canada (2-0) and Germany (2-0) both lead Group A and Group B, respectively.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.