Steve Kerr would have been willing to take the blame if LeBron James hadn’t saved Team USA from a narrow loss to South Sudan.
Although Team USA emerged victorious in their exhibition match 101-100 in London, the head coach of the men’s national team believes he could have done more to prepare his men.
“I didn’t do a great job preparing our team,” Kerr said after the game, according to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press. “We didn’t focus enough on what they’re capable of, and that’s my fault. I think that really gave South Sudan confidence early on.”
“They were great. They played a magnificent match and the end was good for us, just to feel that, to feel what it’s going to be like in Paris and in Lille.”
The American team trailed Sudan by as much as 16 points throughout the match.
LeBron James led Team USA with 25 points, including a basket with 8 seconds left that saved them from a one-point deficit in the final twenty seconds.
South Sudan made alarming attempts to regain the lead, coming too close on several occasions as time ticked down.
Team USA is now 4-0 in exhibition games heading into the Paris Olympics, with Saturday night being the closest the team has come to losing in an exhibition game.
The team will face Germany on Monday and will then qualify for Group C of the Olympics which begin on July 28.
The U.S. team will face South Sudan again on July 31 in a rematch that Kerr hopes his team will be better prepared for.
