South Sudan Shock Uganda at AfroBasket 2025 After Late Turnover, Missed Free Throws Seal Upset

South Sudan Shock Uganda at AfroBasket 2025 After Late Turnover, Missed Free Throws Seal Upset

Before today's game, debutants South Sudan had demonstrated their ability to defy the odds, notably thanks to the individual performances of their key players. They had also lost their opening two group games before winning their classification game against Egypt on Wednesday.

The Ugandans were coming off a 5-match winning streak that included an overtime win over the most successful team in the competition's history, Senegal, to finish top of their group with the streak dating back to February. That was the last and only time both countries have met during a Zonal pre-qualifiers, with the Ugandans coming out tops.

The first quarter ended 25-20 but was feisty and quite entertaining. Uganda scored 8 points off South Sudan's turnovers, but the latter's points off the bench and taking advantage of the paint helped them close the gap. The Ugandans struggled from the bench as only seven players were involved in the entire play.

That propelled their approach in the second quarter as the Ugandans struggled defensively against the paint brilliance being exhibited by the South Sudanese. That saw the Sudanese win the 2nd quarter as they went into halftime at 46-40. The Ugandans staged a comeback in the third quarter with more fast break points and secured more points from turnovers to win the quarter by 7 points (20-13).

The topsy-turvy continued in the final quarter as both teams pushed for a spot in the semi-finals that would also ensure a World Cup qualifier place. With 34.1 seconds left on the clock, Rose Macuei stepped up to make two free throws for the debutants, which she rightly delivered to give the team a point advantage going into the final seconds.

In the end, the Sudanese squad put up a good defensive display that saw them emerge winners on the day, 69-68, to seal a spot in the semis and also secured a place in the FIBA Women's World Cup Qualifiers.
Delicia Washington was the main protagonist for the winners as she registered 17 points, six assists and three rebounds to lead the all-scorers chart. In comparison, Rose Macuei and Maria Gakdeng combined for 24 points in the historic win. Perus Nyamwenge, 16 points, and Jane Asinde, 15 points, were the top performers for the Ugandans, who are now likely to see how they can equal their 7th-placed finish feat achieved in 2023.

Speaking after the win, AfricaBasket caught up with top performer Delicia Washington, and she had good words to describe the team.

“We've been through adversity together. I talk them all over in a clutch moment, teammates pick me up. I know that they need me, and they know that I need them. In a clutch moment like that, we still talked and we still had a moment to win this game. My teammates, they pick me up in a moment where I kind of put my head down.”

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When asked to describe the feeling of their remarkable run so far in Abidjan, she admitted that it has been a positive surprise for herself and the team.

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‘’First, it was a great feeling. I didn't see us being here because but the group of girls that we got, they fight every day. Every day, on the court, off the court, and we stay connected. People doubted us and I love me personally, I love to be doubted. When you doubt me, it gets me more and more quarters to fight and fight and fight.

And like I said, those girls, they look like men of duty. And we have to follow them sometimes too, but we continue to push and push and push. And we're going to stay together and we're going to fight until the end.’’

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On the part of the Ugandan, Paige Robinson shared her thoughts on what they could have done to prevent the loss.

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”I mean, I think we had some good possessions and the ball just wasn't falling for us. And ultimately what killed us was their offensive rebounding. They worked really hard down low under their basket and I mean they scored a lot of points in the paint. In the first half they shot the ball really well.

But yeah, I mean we got to be able to box out rebounds, secure rebounds and go the other way and I think we just didn't do that down the stretch.’’

She added that she was proud of the team’s achievement after the ouster. 

‘’ I'm really proud of everybody for going out there. Our bodies are failing it just two games in, and there's a lot of physicality going out on the court. But we just got to stay strong, stay together, and that's ultimately going to take us through the rest of the tournament. But I'm super proud of our team, and I wouldn't want it any other way.’’

[Photography Courtesy of FIBA]