Gumbo Basic School Hawks Triumph as Stanbic Jr. NBA Season Two Concludes in Juba

The second season of the Jr. NBA Finals in South Sudan concluded thrillingly on Saturday, March 7, at Nimra Talata Stadium, bringing together young basketball talent from across the country in a celebration of sport, teamwork, and youth development.

The finals, organized in collaboration with Stanbic Bank and the Luol Deng Foundation, saw the Eastern Conference champions Gumbo Basic School Hawks face off against the Western Conference winners Liberty Complex School Clippers in a highly anticipated showdown.

In an energetic and closely contested match, Gumbo Basic School Hawks outperformed their rivals to secure victory, officially being crowned champions of the second season of the Stanbic Jr. NBA League in South Sudan.

The championship game followed weeks of intense competition that saw the conference semi-finals and finals played between February 25 and March 5.

In the Eastern Conference, the Gumbo Basic School Hawks dominated the series, clinching a 2–0 victory to emerge as conference champions. Meanwhile, the Liberty Complex School Clippers battled through the Western Conference, sealing a 2–1 series win to earn their place in the grand final.

This year’s tournament marked a significant milestone for youth basketball in the country. The season featured 27 teams and 127 games, with more than 450 girls and boys taking part in the program, highlighting the growing popularity of basketball among young people in South Sudan.

The Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA programs are the global youth basketball initiatives of the National Basketball Association, designed to teach young players the fundamental skills of the game while promoting key values such as teamwork, respect, determination, and community engagement.

Across Africa, the program continues to expand its reach. The initiative has now been launched in 19 countries across the continent, reaching more than 390,000 young participants last year alone as part of efforts to strengthen grassroots basketball development.

The successful conclusion of the second season in South Sudan underscores the growing momentum behind youth basketball development in the region, while providing a platform for young athletes to nurture their skills and pursue their passion for the game.

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