Sagaba Konate 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.

Sagaba Konate

   #1. This week's number one is former international forward Sagaba Konate (203-97, college: WVU, currently plays in Italy). Konate contributed to Trieste's victory against the league leader Treviso (4-0) 94-88 in the Italian Serie A last Thursday. He recorded 8 points. It was the game of the round between two top 4 ranked teams. Allianz Pallacanestro Triesteis placed in the Serie A. This season Konate averages: 7.9ppg, 6.0rpg, 2FGP: 61.4%(51-83) and FT: 65.8%. He played for the Mali senior national team two 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 1-point victory against the Loyola Marymount University (2-8) 83-82 in the NCAA on Thursday night. He had a double-double by scoring 19 points and getting 12 rebounds. Traore also added 4 blocks in 37 minutes. The Brigham Young University has 6-5 conference record this season. There are only four games left until the end of the NCAA Regular Season. So now every game will be critical. It's Traore's first year with the team. This season his overall stats are: 8.0ppg, 8.2rpg, 1.2bpg, 2FGP: 57.5%(73-127), 3FGP: 12.5% and FT: 74.6% in 24 games he played so far. Traore 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 was the major contributor in a Cholet Basket's victory against the 11th-ranked Chorale de Roanne (9-10) 80-76 in the French Betclic ELITE ProA in Saturday night's game. Diarra recorded 11 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. Cholet Basket (5-0) is placed first in the Betclic ELITE ProA. So far his team won all five games in the Regular Season. Diarra's total stats this season are: 7.9ppg, 5.2rpg, 2FGP: 66.0%(66-100), 3FGP: 25.0% and FT: 43.5%. He has a dual citizenship: Mali and French. Diarra is also a member of the Mali senior national team.

Oumar Ballo

   #4. Center Oumar Ballo (213-2, currently studies in the States) led Arizona to a victory against the Arizona State University (3-9) 91-79 in the NCAA last Monday. He had a double-double by scoring 13 points and getting 10 rebounds in 21 minutes. The University of Arizona has quite an impressive 11-1 conference record this season. The Regular Season already ended in the NCAA. This year Ballo's total stats are: 7.6ppg, 4.7rpg and 1.1bpg in 23 games. He is also Mali U19 national team player.

N'Faly Dante

   #5. Former U17 international center N'Faly Dante (211-1, is currently at the American university) contributed to Oregon's surprising victory against the Stanford University (7-7) 68-60 in the NCAA on Thursday night. Dante scored 12 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. The University of Oregon has a solid 9-3 conference record this season. The Regular Season already ended in the NCAA. Dante has averaged so far 8.1ppg and 5.4rpg. He used to play for the Mali U17 national team six years ago.

Sadio Doucoure

   #6. Small forward Sadio Doucoure (200-92, currently plays in France) could not help Provence Basket (1-3) in their last game. Despite Doucoure's good performance Provence Basket lost 72-81 on the road to the much lower-ranked (#14) Chalons-Reims. He recorded 11 points in 29 minutes. Doucoure has averaged so far 6.9ppg, 2.3rpg and 1.1apg in seven games. Despite he played previously for the French U20 national team, Doucoure is also an international player who is currently on the senior Mali National Team roster.

Fousseyni Drame

   #7. Former U19 international forward Fousseyni Drame (201-0, currently plays college basketball in the States) contributed to St.Peter's' victory against the Quinnipiac University (7-7) 83-74 in the NCAA on Friday night. Drame had a double-double by scoring 12 points and getting 10 rebounds in a mere 18 minutes. The Saint Peter's University has a solid 9-3 conference record this season. Drame has averaged so far 7.6ppg, 7.1rpg and 1.1apg in 18 games. He used to play for the Mali U19 national team three years ago.

Ibrahima Sidibe

   #8. Point guard Ibrahima Sidibe (180-95, currently plays in France) was not able to help Orchesien BC (11-11) in their last game on Tuesday. Despite Sidibe's good performance the seventh-placed Orchesien BC (11-11) was defeated 77-68 in Le Havre by the higher-ranked STB Le Havre (#6) in the Group B. He was the top scorer with 12 points. Sidibe also added 4 passes. There are only two games left until the end of the Regular Season. So now every game is very crucial. It's Sidibe's first season with the team. He has averaged so far 7.4ppg, 2.0rpg, 2.4apg and 1.1spg. Despite Sidibe played previously for the French U20 national team, he is currently in the Mali national team roster.

Mamoudou Diarra

   #9. Former U18 international forward Mamoudou Diarra (206-97, currently plays college basketball in the States) contributed to an easy victory against the Eastern Illinois University (2-10) crushing them 84-58 in the NCAA last Monday. Diarra scored 14 points in 23 minutes. The Tennessee Tech University has not so impressive 4-8 conference record this season. His team will play only one more game in the NCAA Regular Season. And now that game is quite important. Diarra has averaged so far 8.7ppg, 4.3rpg and 1.1bpg in 25 games. He used to play for the Mali U18 national team eight years ago.

Mahamadou Diawara

   #10. Power forward Mahamadou Diawara (208-99, currently plays college basketball in the States) managed to help Stetson University in a victory against the Jacksonville State University (2-0) 63-57 in the NCAA in Wednesday night's game. He scored only 4 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and made 2 blocks in 28 minutes. The Stetson University has 3-5 conference record this season. Diawara has averaged so far 5.9ppg and 5.9rpg in 23 games. He is a former U18 international player as six years ago he still played for the Mali national team.

   #11. Former U19 international forward Hassan Drame (201-0, currently plays college basketball in the States) is a teammate of previously mentioned Fousseyni Drame and both played together in the last NCAA game. Drame contributed to St.Peter's' victory against the Quinnipiac University 83-74. He scored 6 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. Drame has averaged so far 6.5ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.1apg and 1.1spg. He used to play for the Mali U19 national team three years ago.

   #12. International forward Ibrahim Djambo (209-92, college: Hofstra, currently plays in France) led Lorient to a victory over the fourth-ranked Rueil 87-68 in the French NM1 (third division) on Saturday night. Djambo was MVP of the game. He had a double-double by scoring 18 points and getting 10 rebounds. Djambo also added 3 assists and 3 steals in 27 minutes. Djambo has relatively good stats this year: 12.5ppg, 5.0rpg, 1.5apg and 1.3spg in 22 games. He is another player who holds two passports: Mali and American. Djambo is also in the roster of the Mali national team.

   #13. Former U19 international center Moulaye Sissoko (206-99, currently plays college basketball in the States) contributed to an easy victory against the University of Duquesne crushing them 75-54 in the NCAA last Wednesday. He scored 6 points in only 14 minutes. Sissoko has averaged so far 2.3ppg and 2.3rpg in 21 games. He used to play for the Mali U19 national team five years ago.

   #14. International power forward Abdoul Coulibaly (206-0, currently plays college basketball in the States) was not able to secure a victory for the St.Bonaventure in their game against the University of Richmond in the NCAA. Coulibaly scored 5 points. His team was defeated 71-61. Coulibaly has averaged so far 3.7ppg and 1.7rpg. He plays currently for the Mali national team.

   #15. Former international swingman Mamadou Sy (194-85, college: Cloud County, currently plays in France) contributed to Pontoise's victory against the ninth-ranked Lourdes-Tarbes 88-75 in the French NM1 (third division) in Saturday night's game. Sy scored only 4 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 22 minutes. Sy has averaged so far 3.4ppg and 5.0rpg in 22 games. He used to play for the Mali national team four years ago.


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) contributed to Metropolitans' victory against the tenth-ranked Trento (1-12) 86-80 in the Eurocup in Tuesday night's game. He recorded 7 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks in 20 minutes. Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans (8-5) is placed fourth in the Eurocup. It was his team's fourth consecutive victory in a row. This year Sy averages: 3.9ppg and 3.3rpg in eight games he played so far. He has a dual citizenship: Mali and French.

   #2. Amadou Sow (206-F-98, currently plays college basketball in the States), who plays in the NCAA could not help the UCSB (3-5) in their last game on Thursday. Despite his very good performance the UCSB was edged 53-52 on the road by the University of California - Irvine. Sow recorded a double-double by scoring 17 points and getting 11 rebounds. The Regular Season already ended in the NCAA. Sow is one of the most experienced players in a team as it's his fourth year in UCSB's roster. He has relatively good stats this season: 15.0ppg and 8.2rpg.

   #3. Amadou Sylla (203-F-98, currently studies in the States) contributed to a Tenn Tech's victory against the Eastern Illinois University (2-10) 73-62 in the NCAA on Thursday night. Sylla scored 10 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. The Tennessee Tech University has rather weak 4-8 conference record this season. His team will play only one more game in the NCAA Regular Season. And that game will be critical. Sylla has averaged so far 5.5ppg and 5.0rpg.

   #4. Tahirou Diabate (206-F-98, is currently at the American university) was not able to help the SDSU in their game against the Colorado State University (8-3) in the NCAA. He scored only 4 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. The SDSU was edged 58-57 at home by the Colorado State University. Diabate has averaged so far 2.3ppg and 2.6rpg.

   #5. Souleymane Diakite (206-PF-99, currently plays college basketball in the States) managed to help New Jersey Institute of Technology in a victory against the University of New Hampshire (5-6) 60-55 in the NCAA last Wednesday. Diakite scored only 2 points in 5 minutes on the court. The New Jersey Institute of Technology has 5-7 conference record this season. Diakite has been at the team for four years. He has averaged so far 4.4ppg and 4.5rpg in 22 games.

   #6. Nabil Kone (203-F, currently plays in NAIA) helped Trinity International University win their game against the Trinity Christian College crushing them 110-87 in the NAIA on Thursday night. Kone scored 5 points in 8 minutes. He has averaged so far 2.8ppg and 2.9rpg in 22 games.

   #7. Experienced Mamadou Dembele (209-C-5, currently plays in Italy) helped Bergamo win their game against the leader Virtus Lumezzane crushing them 108-86 in the Italian Serie B (third division) in Saturday night's game. Dembele scored only 2 points. He has averaged so far 1.8ppg and 2.2rpg.