POSTED BY: Eurobasket News
Here is the weekly review of the top performing Mali players, who play currently abroad.
#1. This week's number one is an international power forward
Nianta Diarra (201-93, currently plays in France). He could not help
Cholet Basket (5-0) in their last game. Despite Diarra's very good performance the league leader Cholet Basket was edged
85-83 on the road by the much lower-ranked (#15) Paris.
He had a double-double by scoring 18 points and getting 10 rebounds in 29 minutes on the court.
But this is still an early stage of the season and everything may happen.
This year Diarra averages: 8.8ppg, 7.3rpg, 2FGP: 63.6%(14-22), 3FGP: 25.0% and FT: 36.4% in four games he played so far.
He has a dual citizenship: Mali and French.
Diarra is currently a member of the Mali senior national team.
#2. Second place goes to an international forward
Sagaba Konate (203-97, college:
WVU, currently plays in Italy). He was not able to help
Trieste in their last game on Saturday. Despite Konate's good performance his team was defeated
94-79 in Bologna by the lower-ranked Virtus BO (#3).
He recorded 10 points and grabbed 4 rebounds.
It's Konate's first season with the team.
Konate's overall stats this year are: 9.7ppg, 5.7rpg, 1.3bpg, 2FGP: 59.1%(13-22) and FT: 37.5%.
He played for the Mali national team in 2020.
#3. The Mali player who performed third best last week abroad was former international point guard
Ibrahima Sidibe (180-95, currently plays in France). Sidibe led
Orchesien BC to an easy victory against the 14th-ranked GET Vosges (0-4) crushing them
82-49 in the French NM1 (third division) on Saturday night.
He scored 13 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and dished 4 assists in 22 minutes.
in Group B. BC Orchies (4-2) is placed fourth.
But the season just started, so everything may happen.
This year Sidibe's overall stats are: 6.2ppg, 2.3rpg, 1.8apg, 1.2spg, 2FGP: 41.7%, 3FGP: 9.1% and FT: 56.0% in six games.
He is another player who holds two passports: Mali and French.
Despite Sidibe played previously for the French U20 national team, he played also for the Mali national team in 2019.
#4. An experienced swingman
Mamadou Sy (194-85, college:
Cloud County, currently plays in France) was not able to secure a victory for
Pontoise in their game against Poitiers (3-2) in the French NM1 (third division).
Sy scored 5 points and grabbed 5 rebounds.
The fourth-placed Pontoise was defeated
67-53 on the opponent's court by the higher-ranked Poitiers (#3) in the Group A.
Sy's total stats this season are: 3.7ppg and 4.3rpg.
He has both Mali and French nationalities.
Sy used to play for the Mali national team
back in 2018.
#5. International point guard
Ibrahim Saounera (179-87, currently plays in France) led
Lorient to an easy victory against the 11th-ranked Les Sables (2-3)
76-58 in the French NM1 (third division) last Saturday.
He scored 11 points and added 5 assists in 25 minutes.
in Group A. CEP Lorient Basket (3-3) is placed third.
It was his team's third consecutive victory in a row.
But the season is still in its first stage and everything can happen.
Saounera is one of the most experienced players in a team as it's his fourth year in Lorient's roster.
This season Saounera's total stats are: 8.4ppg, 3.2rpg and 2.6apg in five games.
Similarly like Sy and Sidibe above he also holds two passports: Mali and French.
Saounera plays currently for the Mali national team.
#6. Forward
Ibrahim Djambo (209-92, college:
Hofstra, currently plays in France) is a teammate of previously mentioned Ibrahim Saounera and both played together in the last French NM1 game.
Djambo led
Lorient to an easy victory against the 11th-ranked Les Sables (2-3)
76-58.
He scored 11 points and grabbed 4 rebounds.
Djambo has relatively good stats this season: 11.8ppg and 5.2rpg.
He holds both American and Mali passports.
Djambo is an international player who is currently on the senior Mali National Team roster.
#7. Former international center
Cheick Soumaoro (205-90, currently plays in France) couldn't help
SOPCC (1-4) in their game against Lyon CTC (4-1) in the French NM1 (third division).
He scored only 4 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 13 minutes.
SOPCC (#13) lost
55-68 at home to the second-ranked Lyon CTC in the Group B.
But the season is still in its first stage and everything can happen.
Soumaoro has averaged so far 4.6ppg, 4.2rpg, 1.4apg and 1.6spg in five games.
He used to play for the Mali national team
three years ago.
#8. Power forward
Baba Samake (202-94, currently plays in France) couldn't help
Dax-Gamarde (1-3) in their game against Vitre (3-2) in the French NM1 (third division).
Samake scored only 4 points and grabbed 6 rebounds.
Dax-Gamarde (#12) was defeated
79-72 on the opponent's court by the much higher-ranked Vitre (#5) in the Group A.
But the season is still in its first stage and everything can happen.
Samake has averaged so far 8.3ppg, 7.5rpg and 1.3spg.
He used to play for the Mali national team
back in 2017.
One more player who has never been selected to any of national teams, but has Mali passport: #1. Experienced
Lassena Fofana (5, currently plays in Spain). Fofana could not help
Torta del Casar (1-2) to beat Badajoz (1-2).
He scored 9 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 19 minutes.
But Torta del Casar (#10) was crushed
84-53 at home by the higher-ranked (#6) Badajoz in the Group D-B.
But the season is still in its first stage and everything can happen.
Fofana has averaged so far 4.7ppg and 8.7rpg in three games he played so far.
