Team USA’s close win against South Sudan has turned a lot of eyes on the American squad as it exposed their vulnerabilities on the court. For Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, there is one way they can be defeated by opposing countries.
In a surprising turn of events, Team USA narrowly escaped a massive upset against South Sudan in their exhibition match before the 2024 Paris Olympics. Despite trailing by as much as 16 points, the American squad orchestrated a remarkable comeback, fueled by four-time NBA champion LeBron James‘ 23 points and Anthony Davis’ double-double performance.
The story of the game, however, was South Sudan’s impressive display. Led by Carlik Jones’ triple-double and Marial Shayok’s 25 points, the underdogs gave Team USA a run for their money, serving notice that they are capable of troubling any team at the upcoming Olympics.
The game was much closer than expected, a stark contrast to Team USA’s previous exhibition wins over Canada, Australia, and Serbia. The narrow victory highlights the challenges the star-studded American squad may face in the Olympic tournament, where they will meet South Sudan again in Group C.
As Team USA prepares for their final warm-up game against Germany, they will need to address the defensive and turnover issues that nearly cost them the game against South Sudan. The close call serves as a wake-up call, reminding the team that they cannot take any opponent lightly in the pursuit of Olympic glory.
All-Star Guard Stephen Curry Reveals How Team USA Can Be Defeated After Almost Losing to South Sudan
After the game, head coach Steve Kerr shouldered the blame for almost losing to South Sudan. For his part, All-Star point guard Stephen Curry revealed how their team can be defeated, as written by Joe Vardon for The Athletic.
“We can be beat if we don’t play our brand of basketball, and our brand of basketball is playing defense,” said Curry, who shot 3 of 10. “But we also learned we have that gear if we can find it, no matter who’s out there on the court, we can overwhelm teams for 40 minutes and it’s a great reminder of both,” Vardon wrote.
Even at age 35, Curry still played at an elite level last season with averages of 26.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. He also shot 40 percent from beyond the arc and 92 percent from the free throw line.
It remains to be seen how Curry and Team USA will perform once the Olympics start. In any case, no one will be taking their squad lightly as everyone will be gunning for the gold.
For More Wisconsin Sports:
Follow us on Twitter at @WiSportsHeroics. Also, check out our Merchandise Here! Get 20% off with the code “WSH.” To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Wisconsin sports, click here! Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Badgers.
