Carlik Jones Guides South Sudan to First Ever Olympics Win

The former Louisville men's basketball standout came within striking distance of a triple-double against Puerto Rico.

Matthew McGavic | Jul 28, 2024

South Sudan point guard and former Louisville standout Carlik Jones / via Eurohoops

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PARIS - Carlik Jones is continuing to make Olympics history for the South Sudan men's national basketball team.

The former Louisville men's basketball standout has the Bright Stars' run in the 2024 Summer Olympics off to a strong start, serving as the catalyst behind a 90-79 victory over Puerto Rico on Sunday to kick off group stage play. Jones scored a team-high 19 points on 7-of-15 shooting in the win, along with seven rebounds and six assists.

It's the first ever Olympics victory for the South Sudan MNT, who are making their debut in the Games after failing to qualify in 2016 and 2020. South Sudan officially gained independence as a nation in 2011.

Last week in the lead up to the Paris Olympics, Jones made headlines across the basketball community, and nearly helped pull off an upset akin to David vs. Goliath.

In a tune-up exhibition against Team USA - the favorite to win the Gold medal - Jones and South Sudan nearly outright won, falling 101-100 after LeBron James scored the game-winning layup in the final seconds. In that game, Jones finished with a triple-double, scoring 15 points while securing 11 rebounds and assists.

Assigned to Group C along with Puerto Rico, the United States, and Serbia, South Sudan has two games left in the group stage. They'll face the United States on July 31 at 3:00 p.m. EST, then Puerto Rico on Aug. 3 at 11:15 a.m. EST. The top two team from each of the three four-team round robin groups are guaranteed spots in the quarterfinals.

(Photo via Eurohoops)

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Published Jul 28, 2024

MATTHEW MCGAVIC

McGavic is a 2016 Sport Administration graduate of the University of Louisville, and a native of the Derby City. He has been covering the Cardinals in various capacities since 2017, with a brief stop in Atlanta, Ga. on the Georgia Tech beat. He is also a co-host of the 'From The Pink Seats' podcast on the State of Louisville network. Video gamer, bourbon drinker and dog lover. Find him on Twitter at @Matt_McGavic