Sagaba Konate 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.

Sagaba Konate

   #1. This week's number one is former international forward Sagaba Konate (203-97, college: WVU, currently plays in Italy). He contributed to Trieste's victory against the fourth-ranked Pesaro 89-78 in the Italian Serie A in Sunday night's game. Konate scored 9 points, grabbed 6 rebounds and made 2 blocks in only 13 minutes on the court. It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. Allianz Pallacanestro Triesteis placed in the Serie A. This year Konate averages: 8.1ppg, 6.4rpg, 2FGP: 62.0%(44-71) and FT: 65.8% in 14 games he played so far. He played for the Mali senior national team two years ago.

Oumar Ballo

   #2. Second place goes to 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 (5-3) 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 quite an impressive 6-1 conference record this season. The Regular Season already ended in the NCAA. Ballo's overall stats this year are: 7.2ppg, 4.3rpg, 1.1bpg, 2FGP: 64.8%(46-71) and FT: 71.2%. 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). Diarra could not help Cholet Basket (3-0) in their last game. Despite his good performance the league leader Cholet Basket was edged 81-79 on the road by the much lower-ranked (#12) JL Bourg. Diarra had a double-double by scoring 10 points and getting the same number of rebounds in 26 minutes. This year Diarra's overall stats are: 7.8ppg, 5.4rpg, 2FGP: 67.4%(58-86), 3FGP: 18.2% and FT: 43.5% in 17 games. He has a dual citizenship: Mali and French. Diarra is also a member of the Mali senior national team.

Hassan Drame

   #4. Forward Hassan Drame (201-0, currently studies in the States) was not able to help the St.Peter's in their game against the Canisius College (3-5) in the NCAA, despite his very good performance last Sunday. Drame had a double-double by scoring 19 points and getting 11 rebounds in 33 minutes. But the St.Peter's was edged 63-60 at home by the Canisius College. This year Drame's total stats are: 7.3ppg, 5.5rpg and 1.1spg in 15 games. He used to play for the Mali U19 national team back in 2019.

Sadio Doucoure

   #5. International small forward Sadio Doucoure (200-92, currently plays in France) was not able to secure a victory for Provence Basket (0-2) in their game against Le Mans (10-6) in the French Betclic ELITE ProA. Despite his good performance on Saturday night Doucoure scored 10 points. Doucoure has averaged so far 6.2ppg, 2.5rpg and 1.3apg. He is another player who holds two passports: Mali and French. Despite Doucoure played previously for the French U20 national team, he is currently in the Mali national team roster.

Fousseyni Traore

   #6. Forward Fousseyni Traore (201-2, is currently at the American university) led BYU to a victory against the University of San Diego (5-3) 79-71 in the NCAA in Thursday night's game. Traore had a double-double by scoring 14 points and getting 11 rebounds. He also added 2 blocks in 31 minutes. The Brigham Young University has a solid 5-2 conference record this season. Traore has averaged so far 8.7ppg, 8.1rpg and 1.4bpg in 20 games. He is U19 international player who is currently on the Mali National Team roster.

Siriman Kanoute

   #7. International point guard Siriman Kanoute (181-1, currently plays in France) contributed to an easy victory against the closely-ranked Saint Vallier (8-8) crushing them 96-50 in the French ProB (second division) last Friday. Kanoute scored 7 points. Sluc Nancy Basket Pro (11-5) is placed third in the ProB. Kanoute has averaged so far 2.5ppg and 1.5rpg. He is also Mali national team player.

Mamoudou Diarra

   #8. Forward Mamoudou Diarra (206-97, currently plays college basketball in the States) couldn't help the Tenn Tech (2-4) in their game against the Murray State University (9-0) in the NCAA, despite his very good performance last Thursday. Diarra recorded 15 points in 29 minutes. But the Tenn Tech lost 75-80 in Murray to the State University. 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 has averaged so far 8.9ppg, 4.7rpg, 1.1apg and 1.1bpg in 18 games. He used to play for the Mali U18 national team back in 2014.

N'Faly Dante

   #9. Former U17 international center N'Faly Dante (211-1, currently plays college basketball in the States) contributed to an Oregon's surprising victory against the The University of Washington (5-3) crushing them 84-56 in the NCAA on Sunday night. Dante scored 6 points. The University of Oregon has a solid 5-3 conference record this season. The Regular Season already ended in the NCAA. Dante has averaged so far 8.4ppg and 5.4rpg. He used to play for the Mali U17 national team six years ago.

Ibrahima Sidibe

   #10. Point guard Ibrahima Sidibe (180-95, currently plays in France) contributed to a Orchesien BC's victory against the fourth-ranked Mulhouse (13-6) 68-64 in the French NM1 (third division) in Saturday night's game. Sidibe recorded 6 points and added 3 assists in 28 minutes. BC Orchies (9-9) is placed eighth in Group B. Sidibe has averaged so far 7.7ppg, 2.2rpg, 2.4apg and 1.2spg in 18 games. Despite he played previously for the French U20 national team, Sidibe is also an international player who is currently on the senior Mali National Team roster.

   #11. International forward Ibrahim Djambo (209-92, college: Hofstra, currently plays in France) led Lorient to a victory over the sixth-ranked Union Rennes 79-72 in the French NM1 (third division) last Tuesday. He was MVP of the game. Djambo scored 24 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and made 2 blocks. Djambo has relatively good stats this season: 12.3ppg, 4.7rpg, 1.3apg and 1.1spg. He has both American and Mali nationalities. Djambo plays currently for the Mali national team.

   #12. Former U19 international forward Fousseyni Drame (201-0, currently plays college basketball in the States) is a teammate of previously mentioned Hassan Drame. But that was another game of his team in NCAA which we would like to mention. Drame helped St.Peter's win their game against the Niagara University 74-68. He recorded 7 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. Drame has averaged so far 7.8ppg and 6.9rpg. He used to play for the Mali U19 national team back in 2019.

   #13. Former international guard Ludovic Chelle (186-83, currently plays in France) was the main contributor in SOPCC's victory against the fourth-ranked Mulhouse 63-60 in the French NM1 (third division) last Tuesday. Chelle was the best player in that game. He scored 20 points and added 5 passes in 31 minutes. Chelle has averaged so far 8.2ppg, 1.9rpg and 2.1apg in 15 games. Despite he played previously for the French U20 national team, Chelle is currently in the Mali national team roster.

   #14. Former U18 international power forward Mahamadou Diawara (208-99, currently plays college basketball in the States) couldn't help the Stetson in their game against the Bellarmine University in the NCAA. He cannot count Thursday's game as one of the best ones. Diawara recorded only 3 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in 18 minutes. His team was crushed by 25 points 72-47. Diawara has averaged so far 6.1ppg and 5.6rpg in 18 games. He used to play for the Mali U18 national team back in 2016.

   #15. U19 international forward Mohamed Sidibe (196-2, currently plays in France) is a teammate of previously mentioned Siriman Kanoute and both played together in the last French ProB game. Sidibe managed to help Sluc Nancy Basket Pro in a victory against the closely-ranked Saint Vallier crushing them 96-50. He scored only 2 points in 6 minutes on the court. This year Sidibe averages just 0.7ppg in three games. He is also in the roster of the Mali U19 national team.


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) managed to help Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans to win against the seventh-ranked SIG Strasbourg (9-6) 85-80 in the French Betclic ELITE ProA in Saturday night's game. He scored only 2 points. Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans (13-3) is placed first in the Betclic ELITE ProA. Sy's total stats this season are: 6.6ppg, 3.1rpg and 1.3apg. He has a dual citizenship: Mali and French.

   #2. Amadou Sow (206-F-98, currently plays college basketball in the States) led UCSB to an easy victory against the California State University Northridge (1-7) crushing them 72-45 in the NCAA on Tuesday night. Sow scored 17 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 26 minutes. The University of California Santa Barbara has 1-3 conference record this season. The Regular Season already ended in the NCAA. It's Sow's fourth year with the team. He has individually a very good season with high stats. Sow averages: 15.9ppg and 7.9rpg in 15 games he played so far.

   #3. Souleymane Diakite (206-PF-99, currently studies in the States), who plays in the NCAA could not help the NJIT (3-5) in their last game on Saturday. Despite his good performance the NJIT was defeated 68-57 on the road by the Binghamton University. Diakite scored 14 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. It's Diakite's fourth season with the team. He has averaged so far 4.8ppg and 5.1rpg.

   #4. Boubacar Coulibaly (208-F, is currently at the American university) contributed to an USC's surprising victory against the Arizona State University (2-5) crushing them 78-56 in the NCAA on Monday night. He recorded only 3 points in 8 minutes on the court. The University of Southern California has a solid 7-3 conference record this season. The Regular Season already ended in the NCAA. Coulibaly has averaged so far 3.3ppg and 3.0rpg in three games.

   #5. Amadou Sylla (203-F-98, currently plays college basketball in the States) contributed to an easy victory against the Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville (1-6) 94-76 in the NCAA on Thursday night. He scored 8 points. The Tennessee Tech University has not so impressive 2-4 conference record this season. Sylla's team will play only one more game in the NCAA Regular Season. And that game will be critical. Sylla has averaged so far 5.7ppg and 4.4rpg.

   #6. Tahirou Diabate (206-F-98, currently plays college basketball in the States) contributed to an easy victory against the University of Nevada - Las Vegas crushing them 80-55 in the NCAA last Monday. Diabate recorded only 2 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. Diabate has averaged so far 1.9ppg and 2.5rpg.

   #7. Mamadou Doucoure (206-F, currently plays college basketball in the States) was not able to help the La Salle in their game against the University of Massachusetts in the NCAA. Doucoure scored only 4 points. His team was defeated 77-71. Doucoure has averaged so far 2.4ppg and 3.2rpg.

   #8. Experienced Mady Sissoko (206-C-0, currently plays college basketball in the States) contributed to a Michigan St.'s victory against the University of Wisconsin 86-74 in the NCAA in Friday night's game. He recorded only one point. Sissoko has averaged so far 1.0ppg and 1.2rpg.

   #9. Nabil Kone (203-F, currently plays in NAIA) helped Trinity International University win their game against the Governors State University 95-80 in the NAIA in Wednesday night's game. He recorded 8 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. Kone has averaged so far 3.1ppg and 3.1rpg.

   #10. Cheickna Sissoko (206-F/C, currently plays in NCAA2) was not able to secure a victory for the Academy of Art in their game against the Fresno Pacific University in the NCAA2. He cannot count Saturday's game as one of the best ones. Sissoko recorded only 2 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. His team was defeated 74-63 in the NCAA2. Sissoko has averaged so far 4.4ppg and 3.4rpg.