Wenyen Gabriel and South Sudan nearly pull off upset over Team USA

Three former Kentucky players will represent the good ole United States of America at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and to prepare, the team is playing a couple of exhibition games in London. On Saturday, South Sudan gave Team USA all they could handle and more inside the O2 Arena. If that place sounds familiar, that is because it is the same venue where a Kentucky team led by Oscar Tshiebwe beat Hunter Dickenson and the Michigan Wolverines back in December 2022.

South Sudan, who earned their first Olympics berth in country history, got down 12-2 early, but former Kentucky Wildcat, Wenyen Gabriel hit two quick 3s to initiate a 56-32 run by the underdogs and Team USA found themselves down 14 points at the half. Turnovers and poor outside shooting plagued the fighting Uncle Sams in the first half, as their offense primarily revolved around LeBron James and Joel Embiid playing bully ball in an effort to take advantage of their size.

In the second half, however, Anthony Davis was tired of messing around. The former NCAA champion, NBA champion, and Olympic Gold Medal winner put his country on his back, scoring nearly every time down the court and blocking almost every attempt from South Sudan on the defensive side of the court.

Davis’s effort, followed by a 16-0 run to end the quarter, erased the Sudanese lead, but the game was by no means over.

Rejected by Anthony Davis.
The stadium is shaking.

🇺🇸 #USABMNT x 📺 @FoxSports pic.twitter.com/XaS278vHSx

— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) July 20, 2024

Wenyen Gabriel almost won the game for South Sudan

JT Thor, who plays for the Charlotte Hornets, hit a 3-pointer in the corner to give South Sudan an improbable one-point lead with just 20 seconds left on the clock late in the 4th quarter, causing the basketball world to hold its breath, bracing for the world’s biggest upset, exhibition game or not.

However, after a LeBron James driving layup put Team USA back up by one, there were still eight seconds remaining for South Sudan to make history…and Wenyen Gabriel just about did it. Gabriel rebounded a last-second shot attempt but was hounded by Anthony Edwards making his put-back attempt go awry. On the replay, Edwards clearly fouled Gabriel, which should have sent the former ‘Cat to the line with a chance to win the game for his home country, but the referees swallowed their whistles and time expired.

The #USABMNT survives! 🇺🇸

What a fight put up by South Sudan 🇸🇸👏 pic.twitter.com/hCad5aXRj1

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 20, 2024

Team USA vs. South Sudan Stats by Former ‘Cats

Anthony Davis had the best individual performance among the four former Kentucky players on the court in London. He finished with a double-double, scoring 15 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and blocking two shots.

Devin Booker, who hit a 3-pointer to tie the game late in the third quarter, had five points, a rebound, an assist, and a steal on the afternoon while Bam Adebayo chipped in four points, two rebounds, and a steal.

For South Sudan, Wenyen Gabriel knocked down all three of his 3-point attempts, leading to 11 points, six rebounds, and three assists on the afternoon. Unfortunately for him, he was hoping for two more free throws at the end of the game.

As much as it pains me, I’d be remiss to not point out that former Louisville Cardinal, Carlik Jones, put up a triple-double for South Sudan. His 15 points, 10 assists, and 11 rebounds put him in rarified air, as triple-doubles don’t exactly grow on trees at the international level. Props where it is due, even though he did it with a Louisville tattoo on his shoulder.

Team USA will have one more tune-up game before the Olympics begin. They’ll play Germany in London on Monday at 3:00 p.m. EST.