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Basketball in South Sudan continues to take an upward trajectory. While the men’s national side is one win away from qualifying for this year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup, the women’s team is taking baby steps in the right direction.
Wednesday will forever be remembered in South Sudan’s basketball history after the ladies’ side registered their first-ever win.
The team’s first win came after five straight losses, stretching back to their first-ever appearance at a Fiba tournament in the 2021 Zone V Afrobasket Qualifiers.
Having lost all four games at the 2021 qualifiers, the team has made clear improvements and defeated Rwanda 54-40 to make history.
Teny Nyamuoch led the scoring for South Sudan, recording a game-high 18 points. Tac Acheil Added 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Adut Bulgak shot a three for South Sudan to lead 08-06 midway through the first quarter.
Faustine Mwizerwa came off the bench; her layup gave Rwanda an 11-08 lead to force South Sudan into a timeout with 1.50 left on the clock. Cheikh Sarr’s charges ended the first quarter with a five-point advantage (13-08).
South Sudan started the second quarter with purpose, and as their bigs, Bulgak and Tac Acheil dominated the paint. Finally, Acheil drove to the basket to level matters (13-13).
Her connection from downtown gave South Sudan an 18-14 lead with 3.15 left on the clock in the second quarter. Mwizerwa drove to the basket through traffic to lay up and give Rwanda a 24-21 half-time lead.
Teny Nyamuoch hit a three-pointer for Ebony Hoffman’s troops to lead 26-24 with 6.34 left in the third quarter.
With 4.06 left in the third frame, Nadine Rutagengwa got the offensive board, went back up to give Rwanda a 30-27 lead, and forced Hoffman into a timeout.
From the timeout, back-to-back threes from Nyamuoch got South Sudan back to within one point down the stretch. Another connection from downtown gave South Sudan a 37-36 lead.
Anegor Wol went on a fast break, and she lay up at the buzzer, giving South Sudan a 39-36 advantage going into the last ten minutes of the game.
Bulgak was fouled and made two of two from the free throw line to give South Sudan an 11-point lead with two minutes to play.
There was no coming back for Rwanda, and South Sudan recorded yet another milestone in their basketball journey.
Fiba Women’s Zone V Afrobasket Qualifiers
Result: Rwanda 40-54 South Sudan
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