Both African representatives were drawn into tough groups in a 5×5 basketball competition.
By Tuka Letura
Since the inception of Men’s basketball at the Summer Olympics, no African side has advanced past the preliminary or group stages. Angola and Nigeria have been the most consistent representatives for Africa over the past seven tournaments. Angola competed from the 1996 Games in Atlanta to Beijing in 2008, while Nigeria has participated in the last three editions.
However, neither of these two are present at the games in Paris. The torch has been passed to South Sudan who are proving to everyone and themselves as worthy torchbearers for the continent ahead of the games.
In the pre-tournament friendly games, South Sudan’s team showcased a mixed bag of results. They started with a loss to Argentina but went on to secure consecutive wins against Portugal and Great Britain. Their most notable performance came in their final match, where they suffered a narrow one-point defeat to the USA, the multi-Olympic champions, with a final score of 101-100.
This match took place just a year before South Sudan gained its independence, while the USA were celebrating their 13th Olympic gold medal in basketball. Despite the close loss, South Sudan made a strong impression, and the Bright Stars—what the Sudanese team is known as—look set for more exciting basketball moments, with plenty of NBA talent still on the horizon.
Managed by Houston Rockets assistant coach, Royal Ivey, who, since his appointment in 2021, has seen the team qualify for and reach the quarter-finals of the FIBA AfroBasket, the FIBA World Cup and the Olympics. Ivey, will be looking to extend this lap of comparative success by taking South Sudan fSouth Sudan further than any previous African coach has managed.
On paper, the odds are not in their favour. South Sudan is drawn in Group C, where they will face formidable opponents: Serbia, with three EuroBasket titles, two World Cup championships, and two Olympic silver medals (though most of these achievements were when they were known as Yugoslavia); the USA, with 16 Olympic gold medals; and Puerto Rico, three-time FIBA AmeriCup champions.
In Men’s Basketball at the Paris 2024 Olympics, the top two teams from each of the three groups will progress directly to the quarter-finals. Additionally, the two best third-placed teams will also advance, making up the eight teams in the quarter-finals.
South Sudan has already tested their skills against the United States, but the real challenge will come on the last day of July when they face off at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium. This match promises to be a different test, and Coach Ivey is fully aware of the stakes.
Steve Kerr, the coach of the American side, complimented South Sudan’s performance, saying, “What we’ve learned with USA Basketball is that the gap has closed. You know, Nigeria beat us in a friendly match in Las Vegas in ‘21. It’s no surprise to see a team from South Sudan playing really well…the game has gotten better around the world. But we still feel that we always control the result with our performance.”
He added, “I think because it was a friendly match, I think we definitely let our guard down as a team, as a staff.”
This clearly sets the tone for how the USA will approach the match, but it also provides South Sudan with a level to aspire to, given their underdog status and slim chances of victory.
Ivey’s South Sudan squad is also up against familiar foes Serbia and Puerto Rico, whom they faced in the World Cup group stages and lost to both. Carlik Jones and Marial Shayok are two names that seem almost certain to be included in the final 12-man roster for the games, which has yet to be announced.
- 28 July 2024
11:00, South Sudan vs. Puerto Rico
- 31 July 2024
21:00, United States vs. South Sudan
- 3 August 2024
21:00, Serbia vs. South Sudan
For Nigeria’s D’Tigress, the objective mirrors that of their male counterparts who also represent the continent: to advance beyond the preliminary rounds. Women’s basketball made its debut at the Olympics during the 1976 Summer Games in Canada. Since then, no African women’s basketball team has progressed beyond the group stages of the competition.
The six-time Women’s AfroBasket champions head into the games following consecutive friendly losses to Germany in Berlin and Spain, who are currently ranked ninth and eighth, respectively, in the FIBA Women’s World Rankings.
Despite sitting atop the rankings among African teams on FIBA’s list, Nigeria is 12th in the world, placing them lower than all three teams drawn alongside them in Group B. Their campaign begins with a challenging match against Australia, who are ranked third, on July 29. Following that, they will face France and Canada, who are ranked seventh and fifth respectively.
It’s important to note that rankings don’t always guarantee that a higher-ranked team will significantly outperform those ranked below them. However, they do highlight the level of competition to expect. Regardless, the task ahead for Coach Rena Wakama and her team is formidable.
Facing three teams with Olympic medals is no mean task, but records aren’t the only thing that’s not on Wakama and her Nigerian team’s side. Historical precedents and the support of the Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF) are additional hurdles that make the path to success even more challenging for Wakama and her squad.
The NBBF, famous for being in jeopardy more than for its organisation, along with efforts from Nigeria’s Olympic Committee (NOC), the Nigerian women’s national football team faced another logistical challenge recently. According to Queen John-Moseph, the Media and Communications Manager of Rivers Hoopers of Nigeria, the team had to travel over eight hours by road from Saarbrücken to Berlin for their friendly match against Serbia due to insufficient funds to purchase flight tickets.
Once the games commence, these logistical hurdles will be irrelevant to the opposition. The focus will be on D’Tigress, who faces an already daunting challenge given the current circumstances. The squad has been trimmed down to the final 12 players from the 16 initially available in the pre-tournament games.
Nigeria Women’s Basketball Final 12 Olympics Roster
- Ezinne Kalu
- Amy Okonkwo
- Promise Amukamara
- Elizabeth Balogun
- Tomi Taiwo
- Ifunaya Okoro
- Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah
- Murjanatu Musa
- Lauren Ebo
- Blessing Ejiofor
- Nicole Enabosi
- Adebola Adeyeye
Just like in the Men’s tournament, qualification for the quarter-finals is in for the top two table-toppers of any three groups and the two best third-place teams. This may not be D’Tigress’ year with all the current circumstances around the team, and progression from the group may not be on the cards.
Nigeria’s Group Fixtures schedule.
- 29 July 2024
11:00, Nigeria vs. Australia
- 1 August 2024
17:15, France vs. Nigeria
- 4 August 2024
13:30, Canada vs. Nigeria
Frequently Asked Questions
How does scoring work in Olympic basketball?
In Olympic basketball, the scoring system mirrors that of the NBA, WNBA, NCAA, and other leagues. A field goal made inside the 3-point arc is worth two points, while a field goal made from beyond the arc earns three points. Free throws are worth one point each. The team with the most points at the end of four quarters wins the game. If the game is tied, a five-minute overtime period is played, with additional overtimes as needed until a winner is determined.
How long is an Olympic basketball game?
Olympic basketball games are divided into four quarters, each lasting 10 minutes. This makes them shorter than NBA games, which have 12-minute quarters, but similar in length to WNBA and NCAA games. NCAA men’s games, however, are divided into halves instead of quarters.
How many fouls are allowed in Olympic basketball?
In Olympic basketball, players foul out after committing five personal fouls, similar to NCAA rules. This differs from NBA and WNBA rules, where the limit is six fouls. Teams are “over the limit” once they accumulate five fouls in a quarter, resulting in the opposing team being awarded two free throws for any defensive foul, regardless of whether it occurred during a shooting attempt.
Any other notable rules or differences to know about Olympic basketball?
In the NBA and WNBA, defensive players are not allowed to stay in the lane for more than three seconds unless they are actively guarding an offensive player, a rule known as a “defensive three-second violation”. This rule does not exist in FIBA basketball, so players can stay in the lane while on defence. However, a version of the “offensive three-second rule” does exist in international play.
Tuka Letura is an experienced sports writer with over five years of experience in the craft. He uses data and statistics to provide analysis and commentary. From regional to worldwide competitions, he has covered a wide range of sports-related events and topics. He is devoted to sharing his enthusiasm for sports with his audience and engaging them with interesting anecdotes and viewpoints.
Cover image credit: GettyImages