South Sudan Upset Egypt in Dramatic AfroBasket Comeback

(ABIDJAN) – South Sudan’s national women’s basketball team, known as the Bright Starlets, have made history by reaching the quarterfinals of the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket tournament after a dramatic 75–65 win against Egypt. The match marked South Sudan’s first ever victory at this level, a significant milestone for a team that only made its AfroBasket debut in 2021 and joined the 2025 edition on a wildcard.

The game was a major upset, as the Bright Starlets overturned a 19 point deficit against their more experienced Zone 5 rivals. The South Sudanese side dominated the second half, with a powerful third quarter performance (24–12) that completely shifted the game’s momentum.

South Sudan entered the final quarter trailing by just two points (56–54), after Egypt squandered their early lead. The Bright Starlets opened the fourth quarter with an 11–3 scoring run, which gave them their first lead of the match at 58–57, with 7:10 remaining. From that point, they never looked back.

Central to the win was Maria Teresa Gakdeng, who delivered a standout performance. The 22 year old centre, stepping up after teammate Adut Bulgak encountered foul trouble, finished with 24 rebounds and 19 points in just over 38 minutes of play, achieving a double-double that stands among the tournament’s best.

Delicia Washington also played a vital role, contributing 17 points and coming within one rebound of a double-double. Rose Macuei added 17 points with efficient shooting (7-for-10), while Nyamer Lual Diew and Bulgak each made key three pointers that helped South Sudan stay in the fight.

Despite Egypt’s dominance in the first half, particularly with 8 steals, they could not convert enough chances to secure the win. South Sudan’s strength on the boards was critical. They out-rebounded Egypt 66–30. The East African side also led in second chance points (19–7), points in the paint (44–28), and bench contributions (25–7).

Egypt, known for their perimeter shooting, struggled with accuracy, finishing 6-for-31 from beyond the arc, including a poor showing in the final quarter. In contrast, South Sudan made 4-of-14 from distance but maintained better control in the second half, finishing the game with 27 total turnovers after a sloppy first half with 19.

For South Sudan, this result is a breakthrough. It is their first win against Egypt in five meetings since entering the AfroBasket qualifiers in 2021. Until now, Egypt had won all four previous matchups.

Speaking after the game, Maria Teresa Gakdeng credited teamwork and mental resilience.

“We were down by almost 20 points. We stepped up our defence, grabbed more rebounds, and pulled it through. We knew it was now or never. No one expected this win, which is why it means so much to us.”

Egyptian players and coaches expressed disappointment, citing lapses in concentration and rebounding as the main causes of the defeat. Forward Hala Elshaarawy admitted, “We gave up so many offensive rebounds. It’s unacceptable. We have a lot of young players, and for some, this was their first African Championship. But it won’t be their last.”

South Sudan now advance to the final eight of the AfroBasket tournament, continuing a journey that has captured the attention of fans across the continent and lifted national pride back home.

Performance Comparison