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VILLENEUVE-D'ASCQ, France — South Sudan coach Royal Ivey says his life feels like a movie right now. He might be onto something: An underdog, under-funded team from a nation still dealing with the aftereffects of a civil war and bracing for its first free election stuns the basketball establishment by qualifying for the Olympics, then nearly beats the best team in the world and goes on to win its opening contest at the Paris Games. That sure sounds like a movie script. And make no mistake: The U.S. Olympic men's basketball team loves the story. It just has no interest in providing a Hollywood ending when the teams play on Wednesday.
