WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Less than a week after South Sudan celebrated the 10-year anniversary of its independence, Purdue women's basketball senior Nyagoa Gony was called up to play for the country for Women's AfroBasket 2021, starting with Zone 5 Qualification this week. The tournament will mark the first time in history that South Sudan will field a competitive team.
"Never thought I would see the day where I should be able to play for my country," Gony said in a statement on Instagram. "Thanks to South Sudan Women's Basketball for the opportunity and amazing training camp. Grateful for the relationships I've created with the staff and the players. Sacramento was a success. Next stop Kigali."
Gony will be the first to wear No. 1 in South Sudan's history as one of 17 players on the original team. The squad recently spent a week at the Golden 1 Center, the practice facility for the Sacramento Kings, for training camp. Former Duke guard and Sacramento Kings player development coach Lindsay Hardin was tapped back in March to serve as the country's first head coach.
Gony's parents, John Wigual Ruach and Elizabeth Riek, escaped the war-torn Sudan and immigrated to the United States before she was born in Sioux Falls, S.D., eventually settling in Lincoln, Neb.
In three seasons at Purdue, Gony has appeared in 58 games with one start, averaging 6.4 minutes per game and shooting 39.5% from the field.
South Sudan's AfroBasket journey will start in Zone 5 Qualifiers from July 12-17 in Kigali, Rwanda. Only one team out of South Sudan, Egypt, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda will advance to the group stage of Women's AfroBasket 2021 in Yaounde, Cameroon, starting Sept. 17-26.
South Sudan dropped its opener against Egypt 95-65 Monday morning and will face Kenya at 9 a.m. (ET) on Tuesday.
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