Team USA is taking South Sudan seriously after narrowly escaping an upset during an exhibition match ahead of the Paris Olympics. As they prepare for Wednesday’s matchup against South Sudan in Olympic pool play, Stephen Curry emphasized the importance of caution.
“We have appropriate fear,” the Golden State Warriors star told ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. “We know we can’t just sleepwalk through any game and feel like you’re going to win.”
South Sudan, competing in its first Olympics, nearly shocked the U.S. in a recent exhibition game in London, losing by a slim margin of 101-100. At one point, the Bright Stars held a significant 16-point lead over Team USA.
“The exhibition schedule was great because you got to figure out where we need to get better and also feel the force of teams that are coming trying to beat us,” Curry noted. He highlighted South Sudan’s offensive capabilities, stating, “They’re a very high-octane offense, spread the floor, shoot a lot of threes, and have athleticism. So you just got to be mindful of how to guard them. It’s totally different than Serbia.”
Team USA heads into Wednesday’s game with a 1-0 record after their victory over Serbia in their Olympic opener, while South Sudan also boasts a 1-0 record following their win against Puerto Rico.
