Oumar Ballo selected the top Malian playing abroad in last week's games

We bring you last week's top performances from Malians who are playing abroad and who all have had prior experience of national team duties at youth or senior level.

Oumar Ballo

   #1. This week's number one is an experienced U19 international center Oumar Ballo (213-2, currently plays college basketball in the States). Ballo led Arizona to an easy victory against the Stanford University (3-3) crushing them 85-57 in the NCAA last Thursday. He scored 21 points, had 6 rebounds and made 2 blocks. The University of Arizona has 5-0 conference record this season. So far his team won all five games in the conference. The Regular Season already ended in the NCAA. This season Ballo averages: 5.8ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.1bpg, 2FGP: 58.2%(32-55) and FT: 67.6%. He is currently a member of the Mali U19 national team.

N'Faly Dante

   #2. Second place goes to former U17 international center N'Faly Dante (211-1, currently studies in the States). Dante led Oregon to a victory against the University of Southern California (5-2) 79-69 in the NCAA on Saturday night. He recorded 12 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks in 26 minutes. The University of Oregon has a solid 4-2 conference record this season. The Regular Season already ended in the NCAA. This year Dante's overall stats are: 8.8ppg, 5.7rpg, 2FGP: 71.4%(55-77) and FT: 51.2% in 15 games he played so far. He played for the Mali U17 national team in 2016.

Fousseyni Traore

   #3. The Mali player who performed third best last week abroad was U19 international forward Fousseyni Traore (201-2, is currently at the American university). Traore contributed to BYU's victory against the University of San Diego (3-2) 79-71 in the NCAA in Thursday night's game. He recorded a double-double by scoring 14 points and getting 11 rebounds. Traore also added 2 blocks. The Brigham Young University has 4-1 conference record this season. Traore's total stats this year are: 8.1ppg, 7.8rpg, 1.4bpg, 2FGP: 55.2%(53-96), 3FGP: 14.3% and FT: 77.1%. He is also a member of the Mali U19 national team.

Fousseyni Drame

   #4. Forward Fousseyni Drame (201-0, currently plays college basketball in the States) contributed to St.Peter's' victory against the Rider University (1-5) 58-51 in the NCAA on Sunday night. He scored 8 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and made 3 blocks. The Saint Peter's University has 4-1 conference record this season. Drame's total stats this year are: 8.5ppg, 7.5rpg and 1.2apg. He used to play for the Mali U19 national team back in 2019.

Mamoudou Diarra

   #5. Former U18 international forward Mamoudou Diarra (206-97, currently plays college basketball in the States), who plays in the NCAA could not help the Tenn Tech (2-2) in their last game on Thursday. Despite his good performance the Tenn Tech was defeated 92-77 at home by the Belmont University. Diarra scored 12 points. His team will play only one more game in the NCAA Regular Season. And that game will be critical. It's Diarra's first season with the team. Diarra's total stats this year are: 9.1ppg, 5.2rpg, 1.3apg and 1.1bpg. He used to play for the Mali U18 national team eight years ago.

Hassan Drame

   #6. Forward Hassan Drame (201-0, currently plays college basketball in the States) is a teammate of previously mentioned Fousseyni Drame. But that was another game of his team in NCAA which we would like to mention. Drame contributed to St.Peter's' victory against the Monmouth University (3-3) 67-62. He scored 9 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in 26 minutes. The Saint Peter's University has 4-1 conference record this season. This year Drame's total stats are: 5.9ppg, 4.6rpg and 1.2spg in 12 games. He is a former U19 international player as he played for the Mali team three years ago.

Abdoul Coulibaly

   #7. International power forward Abdoul Coulibaly (206-0, currently plays college basketball in the States) was not able to help the St.Bonaventure in their game against the University of Dayton (4-1) in the NCAA. He scored 8 points in only 10 minutes. The St.Bonaventure was badly defeated 68-50 on their home court in St.Bonaventure by the University of. Coulibaly has averaged so far 4.2ppg and 1.7rpg in 14 games. He is also Mali national team player.

Modibo Diaby

   #8. Forward Modibo Diaby (202-3, currently plays in Romania) was not able to secure a victory for CSM Steaua Bucuresti (7-7) in their game against Cluj Napoca (4-0) in the Romanian Liga Nationala. Diaby cannot count Tuesday's game as one of the best ones. He recorded only 2 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. CSM Steaua Bucuresti was defeated 110-98 on the road by the leading Cluj Napoca. There are only four games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial. Diaby has averaged so far 0.3ppg and 1.2rpg. He plays currently for the Mali U19 national team.

Nianta Diarra

   #9. International power forward Nianta Diarra (201-93, currently plays in France) managed to help Cholet Basket in a victory against the league outsider Le Portel (3-11) 85-69 in the French Betclic ELITE ProA in Friday night's game. Diarra recorded only 2 points in 14 minutes. Cholet Basket (1-0) is placed first in the Betclic ELITE ProA. Diarra has averaged so far 7.6ppg and 5.1rpg in 16 games. He is also in the roster of the Mali national team.

Moulaye Sissoko

   #10. Center Moulaye Sissoko (206-99, currently plays college basketball in the States) contributed to an easy victory against the University of Duquesne (1-2) crushing them 72-52 in the NCAA last Saturday. Sissoko recorded only 2 points in 8 minutes on the court. The University of Dayton has 4-1 conference record this season. Sissoko has averaged so far 2.2ppg and 2.2rpg in 16 games. He is a former U19 international player as five years ago he still played for the Mali national team.

   #11. Former international swingman Mamadou Sy (194-85, college: Cloud County, currently plays in France) couldn't help Pontoise in their game against Poitiers in the French NM1 (third division). Sy scored only 4 points. His team was edged 87-84. Sy has averaged so far 3.1ppg and 4.7rpg. He used to play for the Mali national team four years ago.

   #12. Former international power forward Baba Samake (202-94, currently plays in France) contributed to Dax-Gamarde's surprising victory against the fifth-ranked Vitre 69-63 in the French NM1 (third division) last Friday. He scored 9 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. Samake has averaged so far 5.2ppg and 4.6rpg. He used to play for the Mali national team back in 2017.

   #13. International point guard Ibrahim Saounera (179-87, currently plays in France) couldn't help Lorient in their game against Les Sables in the French NM1 (third division). Saounera scored 9 points and added 5 passes in 26 minutes. His team was edged 70-68. Saounera has averaged so far 8.1ppg, 2.4rpg and 3.4apg in 16 games. He is also Mali national team player.

   #14. Former U17 international forward Adama Sanogo (206-2, currently plays college basketball in the States) contributed to an UConn's shocking victory against the Butler University 75-56 in the NCAA in Thursday night's game. Sanogo scored 15 points, had 9 rebounds and made 3 blocks (went 5 for 5 at the free throw line). Sanogo has individually a very good season with high stats. He averages: 15.7ppg, 8.4rpg and 2.3bpg. Sanogo used to play for the Mali U17 national team back in 2018.


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 EuroCup) managed to help Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans in a victory against the closely-ranked Turk Telekom (5-5) 99-82 in the Eurocup in Wednesday night's game. He recorded 5 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 17 minutes. Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans (5-5) is placed fifth in the Eurocup. It's Sy's first season with the team. This year Sy averages: 4.2ppg and 3.6rpg in five games he played so far. He has a dual citizenship: Mali and French.

   #2. Amadou Sylla (203-F-98, currently plays college basketball in the States) led Tenn Tech to a victory against the University of Tennessee at Martin (2-4) 76-70 in the NCAA last Saturday. Sylla had a double-double by scoring 11 points and getting 12 rebounds. He also added 3 blocks in 23 minutes. The Tennessee Tech University has 2-2 conference record this season. Sylla's team will play only one more game in the NCAA Regular Season. And that game will be critical. This year Sylla's total stats are: 5.9ppg and 4.6rpg in 16 games.

   #3. Amadou Sow (206-F-98, currently studies in the States), who plays in the NCAA could not help the UCSB (0-3) to beat the Long Beach State University (3-1). Sow scored 9 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in 31 minutes. But the UCSB lost 58-65 at home to the State University. So far UCSB lost all three games in the conference The Regular Season already ended in the NCAA. It's Sow's fourth season with the team. He has individually a very good year with high stats. Sow averages: 15.8ppg, 8.1rpg and 1.1bpg in 14 games.

   #4. Mamadou Doucoure (206-F, is currently at the American university) was not able to help the La Salle in their game against the University of Rhode Island (3-1) in the NCAA. Doucoure scored 6 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. The La Salle was edged 56-54 on their home court in Philadelphia by the University of Rhode Island. Doucoure has averaged so far 2.0ppg and 3.3rpg.

   #5. Souleymane Diakite (206-PF-99, currently plays college basketball in the States) was not able to secure a victory for the NJIT (3-3) in their game against the University of Vermont (4-0) in the NCAA. Diakite scored 6 points. The NJIT was crushed 83-57 on the road by the University of Vermont. Diakite has been at the team for four years. He has averaged so far 3.9ppg and 5.0rpg.

   #6. Experienced Lassena Fofana (198-F-5, currently plays in Spain) contributed to Caceres' victory against the 12th-ranked Valladolid 86-80 in the Spanish LEB Gold (second division) on Friday night. Fofana recorded 5 points in 5 minutes. It was his first game for Caceres this season.

   #7. Mady Sissoko (206-C-0, currently plays college basketball in the States) couldn't help the Michigan St. in their game against the Northwestern University in the NCAA. He cannot count Saturday's game as one of the best ones. Sissoko recorded only 2 points. His team was edged 64-62. He has averaged so far 1.1ppg and 1.3rpg.

   #8. Bourama Sidibe (208-C-97, currently plays college basketball in the States) contributed to Syracuse's victory against the Clemson University 91-78 in the NCAA in Tuesday night's game. Sidibe recorded only 2 points in 2 minutes on the court. This year Sidibe averages just 1.0ppg in three games.

   #9. Cheickna Sissoko (206-F, currently plays in NCAA2) couldn't help the Academy of Art in their game against the Chaminade University in the NCAA2. He scored 9 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in 18 minutes. His team lost 78-84 in the NCAA2. Sissoko has averaged so far 4.5ppg and 3.2rpg in 16 games.

   #10. Nabil Kone (203-F, currently plays in NAIA) couldn't help the Trinity International University in their game against the Cardinal Stritch University in the NAIA. He cannot count Monday's game as one of the best ones. Kone recorded only 2 points. His team was edged 101-100 in the NAIA. Kone has averaged so far 2.7ppg and 3.3rpg.