MANILA, Philippines -- In an indelible moment of this FIBA World Cup, South Sudan earned the nation's first Olympic berth in any sport Saturday and did so with a team filled with refugees and the children of refugees from the war-torn nation.
The Bright Stars, as they are known, won the bid allotted for Africa with a 101-78 victory over Angola, triggering tears and hugs from players as several dozen fans waved the young country's flag.
They won the prize with a 3-2 record in Manila to outlast all other African teams just three years after former NBA All-Star Luol Deng took over the program, which he has largely funded personally and filled by recruiting players with South Sudanese heritage.