DAKAR (Senegal) - DR Congo stunned Africa's No.1 team on Sunday on the last day of Window 2 of the AfroBasket 2025 Qualifiers.
The Congolese's 76-69 overtime ended South Sudan's unbeaten run on the continent. The Bright stars' last loss took place in August 2022 in Monastir, when they fell to Senegal 69-66.
Michell Perrin's men fought for their lives from the opening jump ball to the final buzzer to wrap Group A's first round undefeated with a 3-0 mark.
Even when dependable Chris Lutele fouled out early in overtime, the 'Leopards' never panicked, and managed to outscore South Sudan 12-5 in the extra five minutes of the game.
TURNING POINT: South Sudan found themselves in an unfamiliar territory for most of the 45 minutes.
For the first time in Window 2 of the AfroBasket 2025 Qualifiers, the Bight Stars trailed at halftime.
After chasing DR Congo for most of the game, Jackson Makoi's drive to the basket gave South Sudan their first lead (60-58) with 4:38 minutes left, and, before the final buzzer, the game registered three lead changes.
Junior Madut's two-point shot with six seconds remaining sent the game to overtime at 64-64.
In the extra five minutes of the game, the Congolese maintained their physical intensity to cause the biggest upset in the AfroBasket 2025 Qualifiers so far.
HERO: Jordan Sakho has probably played the best game of his national team career. Sakho attacked the rim with ferocity; he protected his team's basket with enormous aggression, and he created shooting opportunities for others. Eventually, he signed out with his first double-double performance of 18 points and 11 rebounds.
But he wasn't the only one making a difference for the 'Leopards'. Rolly Fula was 3-for-5 from behind the arc to contribute a team-high of 21 points.
STATS DON'T LIE: Shooting 2-for-21 from behind the arc was probably one of South Sudan's worst displays. But DR Congo's 53-46 rebounding advantage proved vital for the Congolese. And to make matters worse, the Bright Stars shot 61% (11-18) from the free-throw line.
BOTTOM LINE: What happened on Sunday at Dakar Arena was a clear demonstration that self-belief is key in sports. Rated as underdogs, the Congolese, who lost their last two meeting by large margins, stepped on the floor fearless and ready to change the course of history.
The Congolese moved the ball better, and its bench came up highly productive, outscoring South Sudan's bench 31-14.
WHAT THEY SAID: "Credit to South Sudan. They are well-coached and played really well," - South Sudan head coach Luol Deng.
FIBA