Can South Sudan make it to the knockout round in their first Olympic appearance?

On Saturday, group stage play of the men's Olympic basketball tournament at the 2024 Paris Summer Games. And while Team USA, Canada and the host nation France garnered most of the attention, one squad has made their presence felt: South Sudan.

South Sudan beat Puerto Rico 90-79 over the weekend. In a well-balanced effort, the former had four reach double-digit scorers. 

After the inaugural Olympic hoops win, South Sudan tied Team USA atop the Group C standings. However, the two will face each other on July 31 for sole possession of first place.

Taking down the U.S. would be a tremendous accomplishment for South Sudan's men's basketball program. Moreover, it'd put them in a prime position to advance past the preliminary stages of the Olympics, with an eye toward the knockout round. 

Alternatively, South Sudan can qualify for the single-game elimination tournament by defeating Serbia. Regardless, the odds are against the East African country. But do they have a legitimate chance of doing the unthinkable?

Can South Sudan make it to the knockout round in their first Olympic appearance?

Making their debut at the Olympics, South Sudan has been impressive thus far. They first made their mark during the exhibition phase of the international competition, nearly defeating the Americans despite being massive 43.5-point underdogs. 

It took a heroic late-game clutch moment from LeBron James for Team USA to escape with a 101-100 victory over the South Sudanese. While they're new to this global setting, make no mistake -- the latter are a scrappy bunch.

South Sudan proved they can hang with the best collection of talent we've seen since the 1992 Olympic USA "Dream Team." So, we like their chances against the Serbians. 

Yes, Serbia is led by reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and Sixth Man of the Year finalist Bogdan Bogdanović. Meanwhile, South Sudan has players with a fair share of experience in the Association.

The leadership of South Sudanese Basketball Federation (SSBF) president and former Duke/Chicago Bulls star Luol Deng has been pivotal for the nation's jump-start. His decision to hire retired NBA journeyman Royal Ivey as head coach has paid dividends.

Overall, South Sudan has what it takes to upset Serbia. They've shown they can go toe-to-toe with Team USA, though we'd bet against that happening with the stakes raised.

Nonetheless, there's a path to South Sudan, Serbia and Team USA all making it to the knockout round. Albeit unlikely, a scenario where all three move on depending on tiebreakers exists.