Puerto Rico and South Sudan met in Manila in 2023 during the FIBA World Cup. They will meet in a huge tournament again, this time in France, as they face off this Sunday during group play of the 2024 Paris Olympics men’s basketball tourney. Will Puerto Rico take care of business? Or, will South Sudan turn more heads with a victory?

Catch this game live on Sunday, July 28, 2024 at 5 PM, Manila time

Away: South Sudan (0-0)

Projected Starting Five:

  • Carlik Jones
  • Bul Kuol
  • Marial Shayok
  • Nuni Omot
  • Wenyen Gabriel

Not even the ignorance of Paul Pierce and Gilbert Arenas can hold down South Sudan. Luol Deng’s squad is ready to go and make loud noises in Paris, though, they have already put the rest of the world on notice when they nearly pulled off a gigantic upset in an exhibition game against Team USA where they lost by the slimmest of margins, 101-100. Despite the loss, South Sudan proved they can hang with the best. If they can make Team USA sweat bullets, they definitely could do that to Puerto Rico. 

Ranked just 33rd in the world, South Sudan are very much capable of playing above their rank, thanks to a number of NBA/NCAA talent on the squad. Carlik Jones, who had cups of coffee with the Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, and Chicago Bulls, made a strong case why NBA teams should be looking at him again when he had a triple-double of 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists in the Team USA game. Guys like former Virginia Cavaliers star Marial Shayok and ex-Los Angeles Lakers Wenyen Gabriel provide versatility and size on the floor. And speaking of Jones, he exploded for 35 points when South Sudan lost to Puerto Rico, 101-96, in Manila last year.

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Home: Puerto Rico (0-0)

Projected Starting Five:

  • Tremont Waters
  • José Alvarado
  • George Conditt IV
  • Isaiah Piñeiro
  • Ismael Romero

Puerto Rico basketball is making a return to the Olympics after two decades. The last time Puerto Rico made it to the Summer Olympics was way back in 2004, with Carlos Arroyo leading the squad in Athens. That year, Puerto Rico shocked Team USA with a 19-point win. Gone is Arroyo from the squad, but another point guard will be a big thorn in the side of Puerto Rico’s opponents, with Jose Alvarado of the New Orleans Pelicans. Alvarado led Puerto Rico in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in San Juan with an average of 16.0 points per game. 

 While he isn’t the main guy for the Pelicans, he is with Puerto Rico, which also finished 12th in last year’s FIBA World Cup. Another thing to know here is that Alvarado was not even with Puerto Rico’s 2023 FIBA World Cup squad but they still defeated South Sudan. Puerto Rico, however, isn’t just a one-man show in the backcourt, with former LSU Tigers star point guard Tremont Waters also expected to play a big role. He averaged 15.3 points and a team-leading 5.5 assists in San Juan. He and Stephen Thompson Jr. each had 20 points in the win over South Sudan last year. 

Picks

Spread: Puerto Rico (+1.5)

Over/Under: Under (168.0)

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