The Bright Stars want to make their FIBA World Cup debut matter.
South Sudan has been balling out in its FIBA World Cup debut. The team may have been eliminated from contention, but it currently ranks fourth in three-point shooting, with 50 out of 122 attempts made, at 41%. It is also looking to book a ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics in the classification phase.
There's a reason why the Bright Stars play as hard as they do. Team captain Kuany Ngor Kuany explained it after South Sudan's loss to Serbia in Group B.
"We have so much division, a lot of trouble, a lot of conflict in our country," he started. "Whenever the basketball team plays, everyone comes together. There's no tribes, everyone's literally wearing the same flag."
In every game for South Sudan, a handful of fans would go down to the seats in front of the officials. They hardly sit down, and they yell as hard as they can, "S-S-D! S-S-D! S-S-D!"
"That's what this basketball team stands for. This team stands for unity. For us, that's why it's so much bigger than basketball," Kuany added.
For coach Royal Ivey, basketball in the world stage is more than just a game.
"We use basketball for peace and to change the narrative in our country," he said. "Everybody's watching us. They come together, they unite."
"We share the vision of camaraderie, friendship, love, sportsmanship, togetherness."
There used to be a running joke in the Philippines. Whenever Manny Pacquiao has a boxing match, everything comes to a stop. Crime rate drops to zero, too.
For South Sudan, peace happens because of 5-on-5 basketball.
"When we play basketball, everything ceases. Violence stops," Ivey added.
On Saturday, the FIBA World Cup debutant will try to reach another milestone: South Sudan's very first appearance in the Olympic Games. But it's a tight race against Egypt over at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Regardless, this team from a small, war-torn nation has accomplished something that truly matters. It has united a country in strife—even for just a few fleeting moments.
So, whenever the adage "Bigger than basketball" is brought up, South Sudan's run in this FIBA World Cup must be mentioned along with it.
(MDB)