By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
In its first friendly game on the road to the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, South Sudan lost 81-72 to Argentina in Madrid. Tomorrow, Royal Ivey’s national team will go up against Portugal.
Nicolas Laprovittola led the South American side with 20 points, followed by Nico Brussino’s 17 points. Juan Francisco Fernández had 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Facundo Campazzo finished with 12 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and also 3 steals.
Next in line, the African side – the only team from the continent playing in the 2024 Olympics 12-squad pool – will travel to London to face Great Britain and the United States in their last two friendly games appointments before heading to Paris.
In their historic first Olympic Games appearance, South Sudan has been drawn into Group C alongside USA Basketball, Serbia, and the recent FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament winner Puerto Rico.
Pablo Prigioni’s Argentina, instead, hasn’t made it to the Olympic Games by not even participating in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. They lost to the Bahamas in the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament last summer; they would have eventually played in Valencia for this year’s FIBA OQT.
Before playing against South Sudan, they grabbed their first victory of the summer against Great Britain, winning 85-70 thanks to 17 points each scored by Patricio Garino and Nicolas Laprovittola.
PHOTO CREDIT: FIBA AmeriCup 2025 Qualifiers
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