South Sudan basketball - The African Mirror

Apr

2021

South Sudan basketball hire WNBA Legend

BOITUMELO RANTAO SOUTH Sudan has appointed former Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) star Lindsay Harding as their women’s basketball team head coach. Harding is an exceptional student of the game - her standout playing career, including representing Belarus at international-level, has translated to a coaching career. The WNBA legend is currently serving a role as assistant and player development coach of California-based National Basketball Association (NBA) team, Sacramento Kings. She previously had a stint with the Philadelphia 76ers. Harding brings a mentality of toughness and optimism to a growing, enthusiastic South Sudan women’s team “One of my coaching philosophies is…

Mar

2021

By The African Mirror

South Sudan women’s basketball team – stars on the rise

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO SOUTH Sudan is still on a high after their senior men’s team qualified for their maiden African Basketball championship (AfroBasket) tournament, and the prospects of the women’s team replicating the same feat are looking greater and greater. President of the South Sudan basketball federation, and former National Basketball Association (NBA) All-star, Luol Deng has helped provide the world a glimpse of what South Sudan as a basketball nation is capable of. Deng saw his senior men’s team qualify for the International Basketball Association (FIBA) AfroBasket tournament, scheduled for late-August 2021 in Rwanda, in their first time of asking.…

Feb

2021

By The African Mirror

The golden quartet of Afrobasket

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO FORTY games - over 2016 minutes - of blood, sweat and some tears during thrilling action at the African Basketball Championship (Afrobasket) have produced the continent’s top four basketball nations. The qualifying window, which took place in the two cities Monastir, Tunisia and Yaounde Cameroon, produced four teams, reigning Champions Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Egypt who outclassed their group mates. These four teams have yet to lose a fixture in the six qualifying games played and seek to take their brilliant form into the Afrobasket finals held in Kigali, Rwanda from August 24 to September 5. Tunisia,…

Feb

2021

By The African Mirror

Basketball; Africa’s Best of Best

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO ALAS, the African Basketball Championship (Afrobasket) qualifiers have come to a conclusion. The drama and talent on show intoxicated fans, leaving eyes wanting as we await the Afrobasket finals in Kigali, Rwanda. In the enthusiasm for what is to come, The African Mirror brings you the stand-out performers from the tournament held in Tunisia and Cameroon. Salah Mejri (Tunisia) Mejri’s presence on the floor cannot be understated, defensively and offensively, the Tunisian has been his team’s pivot. If you needed an indication as to how impactful the center has been Tunisia have yet to lose a game throughout…

Feb

2021

By The African Mirror

Nigeria off to a great start

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO OPENING day of the African basketball championship (Afrobasket) qualifiers started in electrifying fashion in Monastir with Nigeria staking their claim as Africa’s finest. Nigeria prevailed as winners (75-70) against an impressive South Sudan team in the latter’s first continental competition. D’Tigers (Nigeria national men’s team) had to pry the victory away from the determined South Sudan team coached by former National Basketball Association (NBA) All-star Luol Deng. https://twitter.com/AfroBasket/status/1362137886557155328 Currently ranked number one in Africa, under the guidance of new head coach Mdon Udofia, Nigeria booked their ticket to the main Afrobasket showcase scheduled for late 2021. Point guard…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

South Sudan soar to unchartered territory

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO THE newest face on the African basketball court debuted at the Federation International Basketball (FIBA) Afrobasket preliminary tournament in Kigali, Rwanda and have become the biggest movers on the FIBA Top 100 World rankings. South Sudan found themselves in group D, alongside Nigeria, the number one senior men’s team in Africa, and two formidable foes in Rwanda and Mali. These fixtures painted a steep hill to climb for the nation appearing in their first Federation International Basketball (FIBA) Afrobasket preliminary tournament. After a tough opening game going down 56-76 to Nigeria, the South Sudanese regrouped to register back…

Jul

2020

By The African Mirror

From bombs, bullets to hoops

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO THE odds of survival in a country devastated by civil war are slim. The odds of making it overseas, away from a civil war, are even slimmer. The odds of making it into the best basketball league in the world as a native of South Sudan? Near impossible. But defying the odds is what turns good teams into great ones. That is the inspirational story of Manute Bol, who survived the bombs and bullets of a war in South Sudan and made it into the US National Basketball Association (NBA), the biggest and richest league in the sport.…