By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Ten years after becoming a member of FIBA, South Sudan is preparing for its first appearance in the World Cup.
The training camp is underway featuring players the likes of Wenyen Gabriel. Besides the veteran of 145 games played in the NBA between the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets, New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, and Sacramento Kings, Marial Shayok and Mangok Mathiang are both tied to brief stints in the NBA combined with plenty of experience at the club level in Europe. Carlik Jones brings in additional limited NBA experience.
Deng Acuoth, Emmanuel Akot, Koch Bar, Sunday Dech, Majok Deng, Deng Dut, Gob Gabriel, Mareng Gatkuoth, Peter Jok, Kuany Kuany, Junior Madut, Khaman Maluach, Mathiang Muo, and Nuni Omot are the rest of the players available for head coach Royal Ivey.
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The Bright Stars will extend preparations into friendly games with a trip to Melbourne, Australia. Introducing the World Cup team, they are set to face Brazil, Venezuela, and host Australia between 14 and 17 August. Shifting to Jinjiang in China, the next exhibition contests are against Iran and Jordan on 20 and 22 August.
Landing in Quezon City, South Sudan will meet the historic occasion of playing in the World Cup. Group B opponents stretch to Puerto Rico, China, and Serbia between 26 and 30 August. Placing first or second would clinch a berth in the next round in Group I. Otherwise, classification games for a spot from 17th to 32nd will follow the preliminary round.
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