Cheick Diallo selected the top Malian playing abroad in last week's games

Traditionally, every week we bring you a list of the top performances of Malians who are currently playing abroad.

Cheick Diallo

   #1. This week's number one is former U16 international power forward Cheick Diallo (206-96, college: Kansas, currently plays in NBA). Diallo could not help the Detroit Pistons (5-28) to beat the San Antonio Spurs (14-19). He recorded 9 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. But the Detroit Pistons (5-28) were crushed 144-109 on the road by the Spurs. It was Pistons' fourth consecutive loss in a row. This season Diallo averages: 3.7ppg, 4.0rpg, 2FGP: 37.5% and FT: 83.3%. He played for the Mali U16 national team ten years ago.

Fousseyni Traore

   #2. Second place goes to an experienced U19 international forward Fousseyni Traore (201-2, currently plays college basketball in the States). Traore led BYU to a victory against the Liberty University 80-75 in the NCAA on Saturday night. He had a double-double by scoring 19 points and getting 13 rebounds in 27 minutes. The Brigham Young University has 10-1 overall record this season. It's Traore's first year with the team. This year Traore's overall stats are: 7.7ppg, 7.4rpg, 1.3bpg, 2FGP: 54.3% and FT: 76.3% in 14 games he played so far. He is in the roster of the Mali U19 national team.

Nianta Diarra

   #3. The Mali player who performed third best last week abroad was an international power forward Nianta Diarra (201-93, currently plays in France). He contributed to a Cholet Basket's victory against the ninth-ranked JDA Dijon (7-7) 85-76 in the French Betclic ELITE ProA last Monday. Diarra scored 6 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 15 minutes. Cholet Basket (12-1) is placed second in the Betclic ELITE ProA. It was his team's 12th consecutive victory in a row. This year Diarra's total stats are: 7.9ppg, 5.4rpg, 2FGP: 69.1%(47-68), 3FGP: 18.2% and FT: 45.5% in 14 games. He has a dual citizenship: Mali and French. Diarra is also a member of the Mali senior national team.

Souleymane Pinda Traore

   #4. Center Souleymane Pinda Traore (210-2, currently plays in Spain) managed to help Zamora Enamora in a victory against the eighth-ranked Gijon (5-7) 92-88 in the Spanish LEB Silver (third division) in Wednesday night's game. He scored only 2 points in 10 minutes. Zamora Enamora (7-5) is placed fifth in West group. It's Pinda Traore's first season with the team. This year Pinda Traore averages just 2.0ppg in four games. He is also Mali U19 national team player.


The list of other players, who all have Mali passport but never been selected to any of Mali national teams:

   #1. Bandja Sy (204-F-90, agency: BeoBasket, college: NM State, currently plays in France) contributed to a 3-point Metropolitans' victory against the 11th-ranked JL Bourg (6-8) 71-68 in the French Betclic ELITE ProA in Thursday night's game. He recorded 7 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 15 minutes. Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans (12-1) is placed first in the Betclic ELITE ProA. It was his team's 12th consecutive victory in a row. This year Sy averages: 8.0ppg and 3.3rpg in four games he played so far. He has a dual citizenship: Mali and French.

   #2. Mamadou Doucoure (206-F, currently plays college basketball in the States), who plays in the NCAA could not help the La Salle (0-1) in their last game on Thursday. Despite Doucoure's good performance the La Salle was defeated 69-61 on the road by the Fordham University. He scored 12 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. It's Doucoure's first season with the team. Doucoure's total stats this year are: 1.6ppg and 2.8rpg.

   #3. Bourama Sidibe (208-C-97, currently studies in the States) managed to help Syracuse University to win against the Brown University crushing them 93-62 in the NCAA on Monday night. He recorded only one point. The Syracuse University has 1-0 conference record this season. Sidibe has been at the team for five years. This year Sidibe averages only 0.5ppg.

   #4. Nabil Kone (203-F, currently plays in NAIA) contributed to a Trinity International University's victory against the Brescia University (0-1) 95-82 in the NAIA last Wednesday. Kone scored only one point and grabbed 4 rebounds. The Trinity International University has 3-2 record this season. Kone has averaged so far 2.9ppg and 3.7rpg.

   #5. Cheickna Sissoko (206-F, currently plays in NCAA2) was not able to help the Academy of Art in their game against the University of San Francisco (0-1) in the NCAA2. He scored 6 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in only 13 minutes. The Academy of Art was crushed 111-78 in a derby game by the University of. Sissoko has averaged so far 2.7ppg and 2.5rpg in 11 games.