VILLENEUVE-D'ASCQ, France — As South Sudan players jogged onto the court on Sunday amid cheers from fans waving the flag of their home nation, Nuni Omot slowed, stopped and pressed his hand to the Paris 2024 logo embossed across the surface.
He and his teammates were officially Olympians. Less than two hours later, they were celebrating their country’s first ever Olympic win.
Carlik Jones scored 19 points and South Sudan rallied in the second half to beat Puerto Rico 90-79 in the Paris Olympics opener for both teams on Sunday.
“We’re not a secret anymore,” South Sudan coach Royal Ivey said afterward.
It was the latest milestone for South Sudan, which is playing in its first Olympics after qualifying as Africa’s top finisher in last year’s World Cup. Marial Shayok added 15 points for South Sudan, which will next meet the U.S. on Tuesday. Omot chipped in 12 points and six rebounds.
It was the culmination of a morning that began with officials playing the wrong national anthem for South Sudan before tipoff. But Omot said it only inspired them to play their best basketball.
“It gave us fuel. It gave us fuel to the fire,” Omot said. “Obviously, we felt disrespected when that happened. ... I feel like for us we’ve got to continue to show the world what we’re capable of."
South Sudan nearly pulled off a stunning exhibition upset of the U.S. leading into the start of the Olympics. It showed that same scrappiness Sunday against a Puerto Rico team it lost to in last year’s World Cup.
Puerto Rico led throughout the first half of the Group C matchup but was disrupted late in the second quarter after top scorer Jose Alvarado left late with an apparent sprained ankle. He returned early in the third quarter and finished with 26 points and five assists. Tremont Waters added 18 points.
South Sudan took control down the stretch, building as much as a 13-point lead with just over three minutes to play.
Alvarado was helped off the court by two trainers with 3.5 seconds left in the second quarter after he landed awkwardly following a basket by a teammate. Alvarado immediately grabbed his ankle.
He continued writhing in pain before being attended to and helped to the locker room. He was the most dominant player on the court for either side in the opening half, leading Puerto Rico with 19 points.
Alvarado emerged from the locker room shortly after the start of the third quarter, then returned to action with 7:52 remaining in period.
But he wasn't able to save his team.
Puerto Rico coach Nelson Colon didn't have an update on Alvarado's status going forward but said he expects him to do everything he can to keep playing.
“Jose's a warrior,” Colon said. “Other players would maybe said I’m hurt, I can't go. But he said, 'I’m here, I'll do my best to try to help the team.' ... I know him. He wants to be here to play."
