South Sudan’s national basketball team, the Bright Stars, will initiate their pursuit of a landmark first African title as they go up against Guinea on August 12 in Luanda, Angola.
The match marks the commencement of the 31st edition of AfroBasket, the preeminent men’s basketball competition on the continent, scheduled to take place from August 12 to 24.
Ranked as the number one team in Africa and 24th globally by FIBA, the Bright Stars find themselves in Group C alongside hosts Angola, Guinea, and Libya.
The group phase will unfold from August 12 to 17. The winners of each group will progress directly to the quarterfinals, with the second and third-place teams engaging in a playoff for the remaining positions.
South Sudan’s incredible journey to this tournament has been nothing short of extraordinary. Since joining FIBA in 2013, the team made a splash in their 2021 AfroBasket debut, reaching the quarterfinals and concluding the tournament in seventh place.
Subsequent victories over Senegal and Egypt in World Cup qualifiers, coupled with an impressive performance at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, where they triumphed over China, the Philippines, and Angola, further cemented their status as a rising force in international basketball.
Their achievements secured them a place at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where they secured their inaugural Olympic win against Puerto Rico.
Now, the Bright Stars are preparing to make their mark on the continental stage as they set their sights on championship glory.
Having secured their place at AfroBasket 2025 with a record of 4–2 in the qualifying rounds, the tournament’s knockout phases will see quarterfinal matches held on August 20-21, followed by the semifinals on August 23 and the grand final on August 24.
