Team USA’s men’s basketball squad entered Wednesday’s game against South Sudan with a clear sense of purpose, driven by the memory of their narrow escape during the exhibition rounds.
In that previous encounter, USA barely avoided a shocking defeat, needing a last-second layup by LeBron James to secure the win. This time, the Americans were determined to assert their dominance early, resulting in a comfortable 103-86 victory.
Bam Adebayo emerged as one of the standout performers, contributing 18 points and seven rebounds in what has been his best showing at the 2024 Olympics so far.
Reflecting on his performance, Adebayo credited his success to relentless effort and teamwork.
“Crashing the glass hard, getting open shots, and my teammates making it easy for me,” Adebayo told NBC’s Mike Tirico.
He emphasized that his role wasn’t about taking a high volume of shots but capitalizing on the opportunities presented to him.
The memory of their close call with South Sudan in the exhibition game was a significant motivating factor for Team USA. Adebayo noted that they approached the game with heightened energy, aware that they were a prime target for every opponent.”We’re everybody’s home run,” Adebayo said, underscoring the pressure and expectations that come with being one of the top teams.
Defensively, the Americans were on point, particularly in their efforts to contain South Sudan’s Carlik Jones, who had previously tormented them with a triple-double. While Jones still managed 18 points and seven assists, USA’s defense forced him into four turnovers and played a crucial role in limiting South Sudan to 19 turnovers overall. The balanced scoring from Team USA, with six players hitting double figures, further highlighted their collective strength.
With this victory, Team USA has all but secured their place in the knockout stage of the Olympic tournament. Their next challenge will come against Puerto Rico on Saturday, August 3rd.
