Koch Bar

[yoda]

Interesting development=
The past couple years Koch Bar has been one of the top players in the Danish pro league as well as playing for his very successful Sudan National Team.
Then at the end of last season, he signed with a new team in Australia - https://nbl1.com.au/player-listing/koch-bar

https://x.com/TangramSports/status/1758040528849977410

But just this week, the Australian team, Bendigo Braves, announced Kock Bar is again leaving and transferring teams.
His transfer is described as " ... a fantastic opportunity. Koch has been a valuable member of our group and his teammates have enjoyed playing with him. He leaves with our thanks and best wishes”.
There has been no announcement that I can find of where he's headed... hopefully an announcement soon.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1002003001934932&set=a.444753094326

[yoda]

Koch Bar was on the South Sudan National Men's team the past year and
was part of the South Sudan 25-man training camp field, but I have not seen anything indicating
that they have chosen the final 12-man Olympic Team roster, so not 100% sure Koch Bar will be there, but they should be announcing soo.

they just announced two friendly games leading up to the Olympics.

vs Great Britain on July 18 - https://www.ssbfed.com/news/ssdtofacegbb
vs USA on July 20 - https://www.ssbfed.com/news/south-su...-play-team-usa

Olympic group play begins July 27, with South Sudan playing their first game July 28 vs the winner of one of the final qualifying tournaments that are yet to be determined. (currently Italy & Lithuania look like the two favorites)

https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/schedule/basketball

[yoda]

IMG_2639.jpg IMG_2641.png South Sudan still in the 25-man training camp phase,
should trim roster this week
couple photos of Koch Bar #21
IMG_2640.jpg

[Tommy]

We love you, Koch! Glad to see you tearing up the international pro leagues!

[Da Coach]

Here are the groupings for the Group phase of the Olympics - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basketball_at_the_2024_Summer_Olympics#Men's_tourn ament

South Sudan is in Group C along with 3 really good teams- the US, Puerto Rico, and Serbia.
That is a really tough challenge for South Sudan.
The Serbia team will feature 2-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, along with several other Serbians who are playing in the NBA.
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serbia...ics#Basketball

Puerto Rico will not be a pushover, either -
Roster- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico_men%27s_national_basketball_team#Curre nt_roster

[yoda]

South Sudan still in the 25-man training camp phase,
should trim roster this week

South Sudan has trimmed their roster and here is their 12-man Olympic Roster!

Congrats to KOCH BAR who becomes the first Bradley player since Hersey Hawkins to become AN OLYMPIAN!!

South Sudan Roster

• Junior Madut - Guard
• Nuni Omot - Forward
• Mareng Gatkuoth - Forward
• Bul Kuol - Wing
• Kuany Kuany - Wing
• Mathiang Muo - Wing
• Padiet Wang - Guard
• Deng Acuoth - Forward
• Majok Deng - Forward
• Koch Bar - Forward
• Gob Gabriel - Wing
• Sunday Dech - Guard

[yoda]

individual stats aren't available, but in a couple friendly games warming up to the Olympics--

South Sudan beat Portugal 80-72
and lost to Argentina 81-72
They play Great Britain today and Team USA on Saturday

[yoda]

South Sudan leading Great Britain 49-44 in 3rd quarter
Streaming free here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FrksV6bdLo

surprisingly large crowd for a midweek exhibition, half the crowd appears to be for South Sudan

[yoda]

South Sudan must be nursing some injuries- they have only 8 or 9 players dressed & I don't see Koch
in the final minute SS is up 5

[yoda]

wow- terrible mistake
13 sec left in the game and South Sudan inbounds right under Great Britain's basket and tosses a careless, lazy inbounds pas, easily stole and results in a 3-pointer.
So now South Sudan has only a 1 pt lead with 8 sec to go. I would hope they have a good, well practiced in-bounds play they can use.

[yoda]

after another bad in-bounds pass, SS was lucky to get FTs out of it - then GB was only able to get off a poor 3-pt attempt
Final Score South Sudan 84 - Great Britain 81

[yoda]

Not sure if Koch Bar will play in today's game vs Team USA, as I did not see him dressed at their last game.
But for those interested- the game will be telecast on Fox TV Network at 2pm Central Time

[yoda]

with a minute to go in the 1st quarter, South Sudan leads Team USA by 5!

[yoda]

The South Sudan Olympic team arrives in Paris but Koch Bar is not on the current12-man roster. He may still be with the team as an alternate,
but I will miss seeing his play. He was very helpful in South Sudan's run to qualifying for the Olympics and being
the top team in all of Africa. (FIBA AFROBASKET) - LINK