Filip Petrusev, Serbia advance to quarterfinals with win over South Sudan

Former Gonzaga standout finished in double-figures as Serbia took down South Sudan in the final game from Group C

Jul 31, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; Serbia players celebrate after defeating Puerto Rico during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Led by Nikola Jokic and Bogdan Bogdanovic, Serbia punched its ticket to the quarterfinal round of the 2024 Paris Games with a 96-85 win over South Sudan in the final game of Group C play on Saturday afternoon.

Jokic and Bogdanovic combined for 50 points to lead the Serbs, who finished second behind the United States in the Group C standings with back-to-back wins over Puerto Rico and South Sudan.

Former Gonzaga standout Filip Petrusev added 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the floor in 20 minutes as a starter. The 6-foot-11 post also dished out two dimes as Serbia finished with 31 assists as a team.

South Sudan, led by 17 points each from Carlik Jones and Marial Shayok, could’ve afforded a 2-point loss to Serbia and still advanced to the knockout stage based on point differential. Instead, it’ll head home following its first appearance in Olympic basketball since South Sudan, a country of 12.7 million, was first recognized as an independent country in 2011. 

Serbia held an early advantage behind Petrusev, who scored eight points in the first quarter and had a two-hand dunk off a behind-the-back pass from Jokic. 

After a 3-pointer put South Sudan in front to start the second quarter, Nikola Multinov jumpstarted aN 11-0 scoring run with a strong two-handed dunk in traffic for a 3-point play. Bogdan Bogdanovic extended the Serbs’ lead with a 3-pointer in transition the next play, followed by a kick out to Nikola Jovic for another triple to make it 34-25 with 7:00 left before halftime.

Serbia, which ranked dead last in 3-pointers made (7.5) and 3-point field goal percentage in Olympic play entering Saturday, nearly matched its average in the first half against South Sudan with six triples. 

Despite the hot shooting and overwhelming size in Serbia’s frontcourt, South Sudan was within striking distance throughout the first half thanks to some timely offensive rebounds and outside shooting of its own. South Sudan managed seven second-chance points off five offensive rebounds and went 7-of-17 from downtown. Carlik Jones and Majok Deng fueled a second-quarter rally that saw South Sudan tie it up at 39 apiece with just over three minutes remaining in the first half, before Bogdanovic nailed a 3-pointer to push Serbia out in front.

It was more of the same from the Atlanta Hawks guard out of the break, as Bogdanovic came out firing with a pair of 3-pointers to guide Serbia’s offense past a relentless South Sudan squad that came within two points on numerous occasions in the third quarter. The Serbs managed to put together a 9-point lead with under a minute to go before JT Thor threw down an emphatic two-hand putback off a miss from Marial Shayok, South Sudan’s 10th offensive rebound of the game, followed by a miraculous hook shot from Jones at the buzzer to make it 72-67 heading into the fourth quarter.

Bogdanovic once again answered the call for Serbia, as he knocked down a midrange jumper and a deep 3-pointer to extend the lead to seven points with Jokic on the bench. The Denver Nuggets star, along with Petrusev, checked into the game with just under seven minutes remaining while Bogdanovic took a quick breather. The Serbs immediately scored five quick points, including a layup in transition from Petrusev, to make it an 83-74 game with under five minutes to play.

Petrusev and company put the finishing touches on their second win in group play from there, as the 6-foot-11 forward came up big defensively with two blocks down the stretch while Serbia nursed a double-digit advantage in the final minutes. A few jumpers from Vasilije Micic tied the bow on a well-executed second half from the Serbs.

Bogdanovic finished with a team-high 28 points and eight assists. Jokic put up 22 points, 13 rebounds and four assists in 27 minutes.