DAKAR (Senegal) – The Democratic Republic of Congo surprised the number 1 team in Africa on Sunday during the last day of the 2nd window of the AfroBasket 2025 qualifiers.
The Congolese ended South Sudan’s unbeaten streak on the continent, winning 76-69 in overtime. The last defeat of the Bright Stars dates back to August 2022 in Monastir, against Senegal (69-66).
Michell Perrin’s men put up a fierce fight, from the jump ball to the final buzzer, to finish the first round of Group A undefeated, with a 3-0 record.
Even when Chris Lutele committed a foul at the start of overtime, the Leopards never panicked and managed to score 12-5 against South Sudan in the extra five minutes of the match.
THE TURNING POINT OF THE MATCH: South Sudan found themselves on foreign soil for most of the 45 minutes of the match.
For the first time in these AfroBasket 2025 qualifiers, the Bight Stars were trailing at halftime.
After chasing the DRC for most of the game, Jackson Makoi’s drive gave South Sudan its first lead (60-58) with 4:38 remaining, and, before the final buzzer, the match saw three lead changes.
Junior Madut’s two-point shot six seconds from time sent the game into overtime (64-64).
In the extra five minutes, the Congolese maintained their physical intensity to cause the biggest upset of the AfroBasket 2025 qualifiers so far.
THE HERO: Jordan Sakho probably played the best match of his national team career. Sakho attacked the basket aggressively, he protected his own with great aggression and he created shooting opportunities for other players. Finally, he signed his first double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
But he was not the only one to make the difference for the Leopards. Rolly Fula managed to score 3 of 5 times from beyond the arc, contributing 21 points, the best score for the Leopards.
THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE: Scoring 2 of 21 from behind the arc was probably one of South Sudan’s worst performances. But the DRC’s 53-46 rebound advantage proved vital for the Congolese. And to make matters worse, the Bright Stars shot 61% (11-18) from the free throw line.
CONCLUSION : What happened on Sunday at the Dakar Arena clearly demonstrated that self-confidence is essential in sport. Considered underdogs, the Congolese, who had lost their last two meetings by significant margins, entered the field fearless and ready to change the course of history.
The Congolese circulated the ball better and their bench was very productive, outscoring South Sudan’s 31-14.
THEY SAID: “Credit to South Sudan. They are well coached and played very well.” – Luol Deng, coach of South Sudan.
FIBA
