This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:
Hibapress-Rabat-Fiba
Four years ago, South Sudan had to wait until the last minute to qualify for Afrobasket, but on Thursday, he beat Morocco, host country, to qualify for Angola 2025 two days before the end.
A balanced first half has turned into a one-way affair in the second half, the Bright Stars of South Sudan closing the match on a remarkable score of 69-37.
Jo Lual Acuil Jr paved the way for South Sudan with 21 points and nine rebounds, while Peter Jok, three -point specialist, added 11 points out of the bench.
Moroccan captain Abdelhakim Zouita, the only player to reach both figures, finished with 11 points in a match where the Maghreb team shot himself in the foot in the third period.
The turning point: after seven head changes in the first two quarters, the Bright Stars took the advantage in the third quarter and were never worried again.
South Sudan beat Morocco 22 to 6 in the third quarter, to the delight of the many South Sudanese supporters who have made the trip from different regions of the kingdom to support their heroes.
Hero: At halftime, Jo Lual Acuil Jr, the most useful player on the ball, has become the best marker with 14 points-the only two-digit. He then added 7 additional points to take the lead in the scorer ranking.
Conclusion: South Sudan returns to victory after its defeat against the Democratic Republic of Congo in the last match, in the first round, in Dakar, last November.
The defeat of Morocco places it in a more delicate position, with a assessment of 0-4 and two difficult matches against the DR Congo, which is on the rise, and a desperate Morocco.
They said, “We are really good when we are angry and play this way. The players focused on defense. I do not think that anyone in our locker room or in the team – throughout the match – was worried about the intensity of our game. I directed many matches and I found that we were excellent in defense . – Luol Deng, South Sudan coach.
“They were much better than us. They were more aggressive, we did our best in the first half, but it is always the third quarter that makes us pay the most. I do not know what the problem is in the third quarter, but we are still in the blow and we will fight until the last seconds. » – Khalid Boukichou, Center du Maroc.
