CAIRO (Egypt) - Despite claiming that they didn't have the best of their talents to represent the country due to other commitments, South Sudan's Bright Starlets have reached a new milestone by making it to the podium at the 2025 Women's AfroBasket Qualifiers for Zone 5 countries for the third time.
The success in the five-team competition, where the Alberto Carlos-coached side finished 3-2 to claim bronze, has left the South Sudanese players hungry for more.
"The 2021 team has been built through a lot of adversity. We have a lot of young talented players in college who have not been able to join the team yet. However, we have been putting the pieces together and getting new players to experience the African style of basketball as most have spent a lot of time in North America. The adjustment has been both challenging and rewarding," team captain Adut Bulgak told FIBA.basketball at the competition, which ended on Saturday 8 February.
The team made their debut in the zonal competition at the 2021 edition in Kigali, Rwanda, where they went winless. In the next edition held in Kampala, Uganda in 2023, they recorded their first win against Rwanda (54-40) and finished fourth.
"It was definitely not easy to get used to playing here. Our debut was a very humbling experience," said Nyamuoch Pidor Teny, Bright Starlets' second-highest scorer in Cairo. "I have so much respect for the women who play basketball in Africa. There's a lot of physicality, grit and heart. These teams don't back down and we had to learn that from them. I appreciate the hustle they play with.
Her sentiments on the physicality of the game were echoed by Bulgak, who credited her side with adapting well to become just as competitive.
"The competitions have been consistent in physicality and aggressiveness and we are doing a good job adapting. Players are now coming in knowing what to expect in terms of pace and rhythm of the game and while there are adjustments to be made, we can now compete against the best in the region," Bulgak opined. The duo agree that challenging teams like Kenya, Uganda and Egypt that have experienced players and good chemistry has helped in the tremendous growth as it helps them create their own identity. "The 2025 tournament has been great. There has been a lot of improvement with each game and we have made great strides since our debut. The three competitions have been about building chemistry as we feed off each other's energy. We have managed to hold our own against teams that have trained together longer. We have taken our wins and lessons, while assuming a mentality of not backing down to anyone," Teny continued. In Cairo, Bright Starlets opened their campaign with a historic win over Kenya Lionesses (86-69) before falling to Uganda and Egypt 83-69 and 85-64 respectively.
Their third victory in history, second in this year's event, came against Burundi who were making a comeback after a 12-year absence, in a 77-46 show. The side doubled down on their win over Kenya in the third-place match, taking yet another 17-point victory (80-63) against the former zone champions and African silver medalist.
"These wins are stepping stones. Adding three wins to the one against Rwanda has been a confidence boost and we are enjoying it. We have proof that we can compete in one of the toughest zones in Africa and are going to continue climbing the ladder. I am proud of the girls for stepping up to the plate," Bulgak explained. She has called on all Starlets' prospects to stay ready as the opportunity could come knocking at any moment. "The 12 players that get the chance to represent South Sudan in each competition have to put in the energy and give the ones unavailable a chance to play in the future. There is room and opportunity for more players to make the team," she went on.
As they look to make it to the continental stage soon, Bright Starlets are confident that the team will keep getting better as they build on their chemistry and bond. The success of the men's team, Bright Stars, both in the continent and globally has also served as an inspiration and motivation for Carlos' charges who believe the best is yet to come. FIBA