Olympics-Basketball-South Sudan brush off anthem blunder to win on debut

By Angelica Medina

LILLE (Reuters) - South Sudan brushed off an anthem blunder by the Paris Games organisers on Sunday and bounced back in style to earn their first men's basketball victory on their Olympic debut with a convincing 90-79 Group C opening win over Puerto Rico.

Before their win, the organisers inadvertently played the anthem of neighbouring Sudan - and later apologised for the mistake.

South Sudan gained independence from Sudan after a referendum in 2011 but disputes over borders, natural resources and political power have continued to spark violent clashes between the two.

Fans quickly expressed their frustration, with one proudly waving the South Sudan flag and shouting until the wrong anthem was stopped.

The "Bright Stars", as the basketball team is known, have become Olympic battlers thanks to the work of former NBA All-Star Luol Deng, who has been president of the country's basketball federation since 2019.

"(This victory) means everything. It's a unifying moment. We're all united now through basketball and it's proof of what sport can do for a country," said forward Wenyen Gabriel.

"I think it means the world for our country. It just lets them know that anything is possible as long as you're willing to work hard and fight against adversity," added teammate Carlik Jones.

Enthusiastic fans recognised the importance of the debut victory, with Esther Soma having travelled from South Sudan just for the game.

"This is bigger than basketball for us. The fact that they are here at the Olympics in this stadium is already the biggest thing," she said.

Deng brought in American former NBA player Royal Ivey as head coach. Ivey said they would keep on battling.

"This is great for a country that's been through so much war, so much trouble, to come together through sports is a great achievement, we're going to keep going," he said after the victory.

Captain Kuany Kuany's brother Akok also hailed the milestone win, having travelled with his whole family from Melbourne, Australia, to celebrate the team's success.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, we feel on top of the world right now and yes, I think they can beat the United States," he said.

(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Lille; Editing by Hugh Lawson)