South Sudan is the world’s youngest nation, only gaining its independence 12 years ago
Cape Verde team members and their supporters celebrate after the team defeated Venezuela in their Basketball World Cup group F match in Okinawa, southern Japan, Monday, Aug. 28, 2023. South Sudan is the world's youngest nation, only gaining its independence 12 years ago. Cape Verde is one of the world's least-populated nations, with fewer residents than any country that qualified for the Basketball World Cup.
“I’m still speechless," said Cape Verde's Will Tavares, a Rhode Island-born forward who scored 20 points in Monday's win. “I feel like I’m in a dream right now, but the win was so big for us and our country and our families. We made a statement. Even though we’re the smallest country, we have so much heart.”
And they both have a chance to be among the 16 teams still standing when the second round starts Friday. South Sudan's basketball program was essentially started a few years ago by former NBA player Luol Deng, who was born in the country and raised in London after his father — a former Sudanese government official and former political prisoner — was granted asylum by Great Britain. Deng learned to play basketball in London, a scout noticed him when he was about 14 and his life forever changed.
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