A basket by LeBron James, the best player of the night (25 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists), with 8 seconds left gave the victory to the United States in their fourth warm-up game for the Games, this time in London against South Sudan (100-101). The African team was close to completing the feat and beating the Americans. Wenyen Gabriel grabbed the final rebound after Carlik Jones’s mistake (15+11 assists by the future Partizan player) and a foul by Anthony Edwards prevented the Sudanese from shooting. The referees did not blow the whistle and Steve Kerr’s team took the victory: four out of four before tomorrow’s game against Germany. South Sudan was up by 15 in the first half (49-34), but a 0-16 run by the United States in the last three minutes of the third quarter turned the tables. The Africans did not give up and had their chances, especially thanks to the great success of Marial Shayok, formerly of Fenerbahe (24 with 6 of 12 in triples).
It was just a friendly, but the surge that South Sudan experienced during the first half, which it said goodbye to 14 up (58-44) after even getting to +15 (49-34, minute 17), reminded them of the magical summer of a year ago, in their debut in an intercontinental tournament as the youngest country in the world (born in 2011), when they achieved three victories in five games in the World Cup and earned their ticket to the now imminent Paris Games as the best qualified African team. A hymn to heroics and a demonstration that the United States, aspiring to be a Dream Team, but very far from that team of 1992, has work ahead of it. More than that, a serious wake-up call: in this global basketball, which is going to enter the second quarter of the 21st century, the lack of mentality and concentration pays off.
It was just a friendly and the second half was still to come, and Steve Kerr’s men had just won against Canada, Australia and Serbia with ease, especially against the Europeans. A truce after landing in London, the venue for the match, after playing in Abu Dhabi was understandable. The American coach put together a fighting quintet, with Anthony Davis and Adebayo, who did so much damage defensively to the Serbians. And with Anthony Edward in charge of the ball backed by Derrick White and Jayson Tatum. Because Kevin Durant, in principle already recovered, did not play in this fourth preparation match either. Maybe on Monday against Germany, in the last test before Paris. Team USA cut the gap to five (65-60) by charging hard near the rim, also on the offensive rebound, a battle on the boards that had been leveled by the athletic ability and mobility of the Sudanese. The forward Marial Shayok, a former Fenerbahce player born in Canada, responded with two three-pointers. Shayok scored five goals and reached 20 points. And the gap widened again (65-76, minute 27) for the last time. The difference in three-point shooting had made the difference. While South Sudan was shooting 50% at half-time (7 of 14), the USA was shooting a miserable 1 of 12.
There were 13 minutes left and the African team was defending a +11. Would they be able to? No. Three minutes later, the Americans had settled all their debt. Partial 0-16 until the end of the quarter. Three-pointer by Curry, 2+1 by LeBron, basket by Jrue Holiday, three-pointer by Devin Booker, three-pointer by Curry and basket by Embiid to close the third period. A talent came to the fore with a twist in intensity and the result was those wild streaks that turned the sock inside out.
The fourth victory for the USA seemed to be a done deal, but there was one quarter left and it had to be played. South Sudan did not give up after overcoming those minutes of anxiety. A year ago they learned to dream and they do not want to stop doing so, at least not at the first setback: 84-85 and 92-95 with four minutes left after a good drive from the right by Carlik Jones, their star (15 points and 11 assists this time after averaging 20 and 10 in the World Cup), who according to some reports has committed to Obradovic’s Partizan for the next two seasons. Of this team, managed by Royal Ivey (10 seasons in the NBA as a player), a close friend of the president of the Federation, the two-time all-star Luol Deng, there are nine players registered with the IOC for the Games who were in the last World Cup. With the wind in their favour, smiles returned to the faces of the American players, who had to push hard to get things back on track. It seemed like the job was done, but it wasn’t.
Shayok nailed a jumper, Anthony Davis missed and Thor hammered in from the corner: 100-99. South Sudan was ahead with 20 seconds left and a time-out. LeBron, who had been the driving force on the London night (23 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists) was going to take a chance. He came in from the right and scored: 100-101. His 39 years are not like others. With 8 seconds on the clock and the ball in play in the front court, Carlik Jones shot for the backboard to win, missed the attempt and his teammate Wenyen Gabriel, formerly of the Lakers, caught the rebound. He couldn’t get up under the basket because Anthony Edwards hit him on the arm. The referees didn’t want to call a foul, it seemed clear, the replay confirmed it. A decision that deprived South Sudan of taking its dream one step further, at least of forcing overtime.
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