Here is the weekly review of the top performing Ivorian players, who play currently abroad.
#1. This week's number one is an experienced international center
Deon Thompson (204-88, college:
UNC, currently plays in Spain). He could not help
Unicaja Malaga (17-18) in their last game. Despite Thompson's very good performance Unicaja Malaga lost
85-92 on the road to the lower-ranked (#11) Andorra.
He was the top scorer with 19 points. Thompson also added 4 rebounds in 27 minutes on the court.
His team will play only one more game in the Regular Season. And that game will be critical.
This year Thompson averages: 8.2ppg, 3.3rpg, 2FGP: 52.5%, 3FGP: 34.2% and FT: 69.7% in 35 games he played so far.
He has a dual citizenship: Ivorian and American.
Despite Thompson played previously for the USA university national team, he is currently a member of the Ivorian senior national team.
#2. Second place goes to an international swingman
Charles Abouo (196-89, college:
BYU, currently plays in France). Abouo contributed to a
Le Portel's victory against the 15th-ranked Gravelines-Dunkerque (9-17)
73-63 in the French Jeep ELITE ProA on Wednesday night.
He scored 9 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in 28 minutes.
ESSM Le Portel Cote d'Opale (12-15) is placed tenth in the Jeep ELITE ProA.
It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row.
There are only two games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial.
This year Abouo's overall stats are: 8.4ppg, 3.4rpg, 1.4apg, 2FGP: 62.3%(48-77), 3FGP: 41.5% and FT: 90.9%(20-22) in 26 games.
He is another player who holds two passports: Ivorian and American.
Abouo is in the roster of the Ivorian senior national team.
#3. The Ivorian player who performed third best last week abroad was former international center
Baru Adjehi (206-91, college:
Charleston, currently plays in Basketball Africa League). He led his Mozambican team
Fer.Maputo to a victory against the closely-ranked Douanes (1-1)
88-74 in the Basketball Africa League in Wednesday night's game.
Adjehi recorded a double-double by scoring 13 points and getting 11 rebounds. He also added 3 blocks. It was his first game for Fer.Maputo this season.
It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. His team is placed second in the Basketball Africa League.
Adjehi's team will play only one more game in the Basketball Africa League Regular Season. And now that game is quite important.
Adjehi played for the Ivorian national team two years ago.
#4. Power forward
Cedric Bah (198-94, currently plays in France) helped
ADA Blois win their game against the 13th-ranked Souffelweyersheim (12-15)
79-66 in the French ProB (second division) last Tuesday.
He scored 9 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in 20 minutes.
ADA Blois Basket 41 (17-8) is placed second in the ProB.
This year Bah's total stats are: 6.8ppg, 4.3rpg and 1.4apg in 25 games.
He used to play for the Ivorian national team
back in 2017.
#5. International swingman
Vafessa Fofana (198-92, currently plays in France) was not able to help
Cholet Basket in their game against Chalons-Reims (9-16) in the French Jeep ELITE ProA.
Fofana scored only 4 points and grabbed 4 rebounds.
The league leader Cholet Basket was defeated
94-89 on the opponent's court by the much lower-ranked Chalons-Reims (#12).
There are only three games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game will be important.
Fofana has averaged so far 4.1ppg and 2.4rpg.
He plays currently for the Ivorian national team.
#6. Swingman
Guy Landry Edi (202-88, agency:
Promotex, college:
Gonzaga, currently plays in Iceland) helped
Thor AK win their game against the second-ranked Thor Thorl (14-8)
93-79 in the Icelandic Dominos League last Wednesday.
Edi scored 14 points and grabbed 9 rebounds (was perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line).
Thor AK Akureyri (10-12) is placed seventh in the Dominos League.
Edi has relatively good stats this season: 10.6ppg, 7.2rpg, 2.2apg and 1.1spg.
He is an international player who is currently on the senior Ivorian National Team roster.
#7. International center
Seydou Aboubacar (207-94, currently plays in Spain) managed to help Leche Rio Breogan in a victory against the tenth-ranked Almansa (3-15)
85-81 in the Spanish LEB Gold (second division) on Sunday night.
Aboubacar recorded only 4 points in 13 minutes.
Leche Rio Breogan (13-5) is placed second in Places 1-10 group.
There are only two games left until the end of the Second Stage.
It's Aboubacar's first season with the team.
He has averaged so far 5.1ppg and 2.4rpg in 25 games.
Aboubacar is also Ivorian national team player.
#8. Center
Mohamed Kone (211-81, college:
Valpo, currently plays in France) was the major contributor in a
JA Vichy's victory against the fifth-ranked Quimper UJAP (16-10)
88-74 in the French ProB (second division) in Friday night's game.
He scored 14 points and grabbed 5 rebounds.
Jean D'Arc Vichy Clermont Metropole (14-13) is placed tenth in the ProB.
It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row.
Kone is one of the most experienced players in a team as it's his fourth year in JA Vichy's roster.
Kone has averaged so far 7.8ppg, 7.0rpg and 1.4apg.
He used to play for the Ivorian national team
back in 2019.
#9. International point guard
Souleyman Diabate (183-87, agency:
Interperformances, currently plays in Basketball Africa League) helped his Egyptian team
Al Zamalek win their game against the closely-ranked Fer.Maputo (1-1)
71-55 in the Basketball Africa League last Monday.
Diabate recorded only 3 points in 16 minutes. It was his first game for Al Zamalek this season.
It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. His team is placed first in the Basketball Africa League.
His team will play only one more game in the Basketball Africa League Regular Season.
Diabate is also in the roster of the Ivorian national team.
#10. Point guard
Bryan Pamba-Juille (184-92, currently plays in France) was not able to secure a victory for
Union Rennes (16-10) in their last game on Friday. Despite his very good performance the fifth-placed Union Rennes (16-10) was defeated
88-80 on the opponent's court by the lower-ranked Lorient (#7) in the Group A.
Pamba-Juille recorded a double-double by scoring 17 points and making 10 passes.
The Regular Season already ended.
This season Pamba-Juille has relatively solid stats: 12.1ppg, 2.3rpg, 4.7apg and 2.0spg.
Despite he played previously for the French U20 national team, Pamba-Juille is also an international player who is currently on the senior Ivorian National Team roster.
#11. Former international power forward
Louri Frejus Zerbo (208-89, currently plays in France) couldn't help
Aix-Maurienne in their game against Poitiers in the French ProB (second division). He cannot count Tuesday's game as one of the best ones.
Zerbo scored only 2 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 8 minutes on the court.
His team lost
74-81.
Zerbo has averaged so far 1.3ppg and 2.0rpg in 22 games.
He used to play for the Ivorian national team
two years ago.
#12. International center
Bali Coulibaly (199-95, currently plays in France) faced previously mentioned Bryan Pamba-Juille in the French NM1 last game.
Coulibaly helped
Lorient win their game against the fifth-ranked Union Rennes
88-80.
He scored 11 points, grabbed 9 rebounds and dished 4 assists.
Coulibaly has reliable stats this season: 13.7ppg, 5.9rpg and 1.5apg.
He is also in the roster of the Ivorian national team.
#13. International point guard
Jean-Francois Kebe (185-94, currently plays in France) helped
Gries/Oberhoffen win their game against the second-ranked ADA Blois
91-81 in the French ProB (second division) on Friday night.
Kebe scored only 3 points in 12 minutes.
Kebe has averaged so far 6.7ppg, 1.8rpg and 2.9apg in 26 games.
He is also Ivorian national team player.
The list of other players, who all have Ivorian passport but never been selected to any of Ivorian national teams: #1. Mohamed Bamba (211-C-98, college:
Texas, currently plays in NBA). Bamba could not help the
Orlando Magic (21-51) to beat the Philadelphia 76ers (49-23).
He scored 9 points, had 6 rebounds and dished 4 assists.
But the Orlando Magic (21-51) was defeated
128-117 on the road by the 76ers.
It was Magic's seventh consecutive loss in a row.
The Regular Season already ended in the NBA.
Bamba has relatively good stats this season: 8.0ppg, 5.8rpg and 1.3bpg.
He has a dual citizenship: Ivorian and American.
Despite Bamba's Ivorian passport, he previously played for the USA U18 national team and is probably not eligible to play for the Ivorian team.
#2. Jonas Zohore (208-C-91, currently plays in Spain) was not able to help
HLA Alicante (9-9) in their last game. Despite Zohore's good performance the sixth-placed HLA Alicante (9-9) lost
66-76 on the opponent's court to the lower-ranked (#9) Palencia in the Places 1-10 group.
He recorded 12 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in a mere 19 minutes.
There are only two games left until the end of the Second Stage.
It's Zohore's first season with the team.
Zohore has averaged so far 8.1ppg and 4.1rpg in 29 games he played so far.
He is another player who holds two passports: Danish and Ivorian.
#3. Mohamed Toure (189-G-92, currently plays in Italy) was not able to secure a victory for
Cremona (0-3) in their game against Rimini (14-7) in the Italian Serie B (third division).
Toure scored 5 points, grabbed 6 rebounds and dished 4 assists.
Cremona (#4) was crushed
88-62 on the opponent's court by the lower-ranked Rimini (#4) in the Group B.
So far Cremona lost all three games in the Play-Offs.
Toure has averaged so far 9.0ppg, 4.1rpg and 3.3apg.
He has both Ivorian and Italian nationalities.
