Underdog South Sudan Qualify for 2026 World Cup Qualifiers

(ABIDJAN) – South Sudan’s women’s national basketball team has continued its historic debut run at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket by reaching the semifinals and securing qualification for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournaments.

The Bright Starlets defeated Uganda 69–68 in a thrilling quarterfinal match held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, less than 24 hours after upsetting Egypt.

South Sudan entered the tournament as the only debutant team and received a wildcard invitation. Despite losing their opening group matches to Mali and Cameroon, the Starlets rallied in the knockout rounds to become one of the standout stories of this year’s competition.

Uganda came into the match as favourites, having topped their group and had two days of rest. They began strongly, opening with a 15–6 lead within the first five minutes. But South Sudan quickly closed the gap through key plays by Delicia Washington and a three-pointer from Nyamer Lual Diew. The Bright Starlets took command in the second quarter, hitting six three-pointers and building a 26–15 run to lead by six points at halftime.

The turning point came late in the second quarter when Adut Bulgak tied the game at 33 with a three-pointer, followed by quick baskets from Diew and Nyamuoch Teny that gave South Sudan a 39–36 lead. Uganda struggled without Hope Akello, who was benched after picking up three fouls early in the game.

In the third quarter, South Sudan’s outside shooting dipped, allowing Uganda to claw back and edge ahead 60–59. The final quarter saw both teams exchange leads. With just six seconds remaining, Uganda’s Melissa Akullu missed two crucial free throws that could have changed the outcome. South Sudan held on to claim a one-point victory and secure a spot in the final four.

Delicia Washington was instrumental in the win, scoring 17 points in nearly 40 minutes of play. Maria Gakdeng delivered another dominant performance, finishing with a double-double of 12 points and 13 rebounds. Rose Akon Macuei also scored 12 points and was just two rebounds short of her own double-double.

Uganda, despite their early promise, were undone by poor free throw shooting, converting only 15 out of 25 attempts. South Sudan also outscored Uganda in the paint 38–26 and had a 21–14 advantage in bench points, helping secure the narrow win.

South Sudan’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup Qualifying Tournaments marks a significant milestone for the country’s women’s basketball programme. The women now follow in the footsteps of their male counterparts, who began their own rise in 2021 after receiving a wildcard to the AfroBasket qualifiers. The men’s team is scheduled to compete in Angola next month as they chase their first African title.

Following the win, forward Rose Akon Macuei described the moment as emotional and symbolic for South Sudan. “We came into this competition as underdogs, but we gave it our all today,” she said. “We started the tournament with two losses, but we persevered. We had nothing to lose and just trusted each other. Dreams really do come true.”

Uganda will now move into the classification matches, while South Sudan prepares for their semifinal match this weekend. Regardless of the final result, the Bright Starlets have already etched their names into the continent’s sporting history.

South Sudan’s AfroBasket 2025 Performance