
U.S. Topples South Sudan, Olympic Basketball Quarterfinals Next
LILLE, France -- Worrying about which superstar player might not play on a given night isn't Team USA's problem, it could end up the trademark.
This team's unrelenting depth will continue to lead to some uncomfortable moments when the coaching staff grapples with how to manage it all, but it fuels the Americans as they work toward trying to take a fifth consecutive gold medal.
The Americans' bench was devastating, racking up 66 points (compared with just 14 from South Sudan's) and going on two key runs that essentially defined the game.
Former NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid went from starter to never getting off the bench Wednesday. Jayson Tatum, who was benched in the previous game, moved into the starting lineup.

As a result, Bam Adebayo, who got extended minutes because Embiid sat, had perhaps his best game ever with the national team. He came off the bench with 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting with seven rebounds as the leader among six players who scored in double figures.
South Sudan, which has excellent athleticism with a group of former NBA players and shooters, is a great story and a dangerous team with a bright future. But it just can't compete against that depth.
That U.S. group, supplemented by Devin Booker, went on a 23-4 run during the first and second quarters that essentially decided the game. The group reprised the role in the second half when South Sudan, led by hot shooting from Nuni Omot (24 points) and Bul Kuol (16), cut the lead from 19 points to 10 against the American starters. Then the bench pushed it to 16 points by the end of the third quarter.
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Gallery Credit: Scott Prather
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