South Sudan, Japan grab Olympic spots at Basketball World Cup

MANILA: South Sudan and Japan both qualified for the Paris Olympics at the Basketball World Cup on Saturday (Sep 2) as the tournament's highest-placed finishers from Africa and Asia.

World Cup debutants South Sudan, who played their first official international game only six years ago, beat Angola 101-78 in Manila to claim their third win of the competition.

Nearest challengers Egypt then lost 88-86 to New Zealand to send South Sudan to Paris, completing the world number 62-ranked team's fairytale rise on the world stage.

The country has lurched from one crisis to another since winning independence in 2011 but the team's World Cup performances have captured the public's imagination, with crowds gathering to watch on giant screens in the capital Juba.

An emotional head coach Royal Ivey said they had brought "unity, camaraderie, love and friendship" to the country.

"This team is a beam of light," he said.

"This country has only been independent for 12 years. To do this is incredible."

South Sudan have won plaudits for their dynamic play and positive attitude on and off the court at the World Cup being held in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.

They pulled off a historic win when they beat basketball-obsessed China in their second game, before downing the Philippines in the classification stage.

South Sudan captain Kuany Ngor Kuany said he was proud to "create history" by representing his country.

"We've had a lot of athletes representing different countries under different flags," said Kuany, who was born in South Sudan but moved to Australia as a nine-year-old.

"For us to be able to do it for the first time as a country really means a lot and that's why we were fighting so hard to be able to get that opportunity."

Japan claimed