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.
#1. This week's number one is former U17 international center
N'Faly Dante (211-2001, currently plays college basketball in the States), who plays in the NCAA. Dante could not help the
Oregon (11-9) in their last game on Saturday. Despite his good performance the Oregon was defeated
75-60 at home by the Texas A&M University.
Dante recorded a double-double by scoring 13 points and getting the same number of rebounds. He also added 5 blocks.
The National Tournament Round 2 already ended in the NCAA.
This season Dante averages: 8.1ppg, 6.3rpg, 2FGP: 67.5%(110-163) and FT: 58.8%.
He played for the Mali U17 national team year ago.
#2. Second place goes to former U19 international forward
Fousseyni Traore (201-2002, currently studies in the States). Traore was not able to help the
BYU in their game against the Washington State University (11-9) in the NCAA National Tournament Round 3, despite his very good performance on Wednesday night.
He recorded 16 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in 30 minutes.
But the BYU was badly defeated
77-58 on the road by the Washington State University.
The National Tournament Round 3 already ended in the NCAA.
This year Traore's overall stats are: 9.5ppg, 8.5rpg, 1.2bpg, 2FGP: 60.5%(124-205), 3FGP: 12.5% and FT: 74.4% in 33 games he played so far.
He played for the Mali U19 national team in 21.
#3. The Mali player who performed third best last week abroad was former international point guard
Ibrahima Sidibe (180-1995, currently plays in France). Sidibe was not able to secure a victory for
Orchesien BC (6-6) in their game against Pontoise (3-4) in the French NM1 (third division). Despite his good performance in Saturday night's game He was the second best scorer with 12 points. Sidibe also added made 4 passes and 4 steals.
Sidibe's total stats this season are: 7.8ppg, 2.1rpg, 2.3apg, 1.2spg, 2FGP: 49.3%, 3FGP: 25.0% and FT: 56.6%.
He has a dual citizenship: Mali and French.
Despite Sidibe played previously for the French U20 national team, he played also for the Mali national team in 21.
#4. Forward
Sagaba Konate (203-1997, college:
WVU, currently plays in Italy) couldn't help
Trieste in their game against Fortitudo BO (0-4) in the Italian Serie A. Konate did not have that impressive stats last Sunday.
He scored only 2 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in 9 minutes on the court.
His team lost
77-85 on their home court in Trieste to the lower-ranked (#3) Fortitudo BO.
This year Konate's total stats are: 8.2ppg and 5.9rpg in 20 games.
He used to play for the Mali national team
back in 20.
#5. Former U19 international forward
Hassan Drame (201-2000, is currently at the American university) contributed to
St.Peter's' victory against the University of Kentucky (14-4)
85-79 in the NCAA National Tournament Round 1 on Thursday night.
Drame scored 7 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and dished 4 assists.
The Saint Peter's University has a solid 14-6 conference record this season.
His team will play only one more game in the NCAA National Tournament Round 1. And that game will be critical.
Drame has averaged so far 6.0ppg and 5.5rpg.
He used to play for the Mali U19 national team
years ago.
#6. Center
Oumar Ballo (213-2002, currently plays college basketball in the States) managed to help University of Arizona to win against the Texas Christian University (8-10)
85-80 in the NCAA National Tournament Round 2 last Sunday.
He scored only 2 points and grabbed 4 rebounds.
The University of Arizona has quite an impressive 18-2 conference record this season.
The National Tournament Round 2 already ended in the NCAA.
Ballo has averaged so far 6.8ppg, 4.4rpg and 1.2bpg.
He is a former U19 international player as he played for the Mali team year ago.
#7. Former U19 international center
Moulaye Sissoko (206-1999, currently plays college basketball in the States) couldn't help the
Dayton (14-4) in their game against the Vanderbilt University (7-11) in the NCAA National Tournament Round 2.
Sissoko scored 8 points in only 6 minutes.
The Dayton was edged
70-68 on their home court in Dayton by the Vanderbilt University.
The National Tournament Round 2 already ended in the NCAA.
Sissoko has averaged so far 2.4ppg and 2.0rpg in 30 games.
He used to play for the Mali U19 national team
years ago.
#8. Power forward
Abdoul Coulibaly (206-2000, currently plays college basketball in the States) contributed to a 1-point
St.Bonaventure's victory against the The University of Virginia (12-8)
52-51 in the NCAA National Tournament Round 3 in Tuesday night's game.
Coulibaly recorded only 4 points and grabbed 5 rebounds.
The St. Bonaventure University has a solid 12-5 conference record this season.
The National Tournament Round 3 already ended in the NCAA.
Coulibaly has averaged so far 3.7ppg and 1.7rpg.
He used to play for the Mali national team
back in 21.
#9. An experienced former international swingman
Mamadou Sy (194-1985, college:
Cloud County, currently plays in France) contributed to
Pontoise's victory against the third-ranked SO Maritime Boulogne (7-5)
69-65 in the French NM1 (third division) last Tuesday.
Sy recorded 6 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists in 37 minutes.
It was the game of the round between two top 3 ranked teams. Entente Cergy Osny Pontoise BB (8-4) is placed second in Group B.
Sy has averaged so far 3.6ppg and 4.9rpg in 28 games.
He used to play for the Mali national team
years ago.
#10. Forward
Modibo Diaby (202-2003, currently plays in Romania) contributed to a
CSM Steaua Bucuresti's victory against the closely-ranked Constanta (2-2)
76-72 in the Romanian Liga Nationala on Friday night.
Diaby scored only 2 points and grabbed 4 rebounds.
CSM Steaua Bucuresti (11-14) is placed ninth in the Liga Nationala.
Diaby has averaged so far 1.0ppg and 1.3rpg.
He is a former U19 international player as years ago he still played for the Mali national team.
#11. Former U19 international forward
Fousseyni Drame (201-2000, 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 couldn't help the
St.Peter's in their game against the Murray State University. He cannot count Saturday's game as one of the best ones.
Drame scored only 2 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in 20 minutes.
His team lost
60-70.
Drame has averaged so far 6.9ppg and 6.6rpg in 31 games.
He used to play for the Mali U19 national team
years ago.
#12. Former international forward
Ibrahim Djambo (209-1992, college:
Hofstra, currently plays in France) led
Lorient to a victory over the third-ranked Lyon crushing them
95-61 in the French NM1 (third division) last Friday.
Djambo was MVP of the game. He scored 16 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.
Djambo has relatively good stats this season: 12.7ppg, 5.2rpg, 1.6apg and 1.3spg.
He is another player who holds two passports: Mali and American.
Djambo used to play for the Mali national team
back in 21.
#13. Former international center
Cheick Soumaoro (205-1990, currently plays in France) helped
SOPCC win their game against the seventh-ranked Lourdes-Tarbes
95-89 in the French NM1 (third division) on Tuesday night.
He recorded 14 points and had 3 steals in 24 minutes.
Soumaoro has averaged so far 6.8ppg and 4.8rpg in 30 games.
He used to play for the Mali national team
years ago.
#14. Former international center
Moustapha Diarra (205-1987, college:
USF, currently plays in France) couldn't help
Andrezieux in their game against Vitre in the French NM1 (third division), despite his very good performance last Friday.
He was the second best scorer with 15 points in 22 minutes.
But his team lost
76-87.
This year Diarra has relatively solid stats: 10.2ppg, 3.6rpg and 1.6apg in 30 games.
He used to play for the Mali national team
back in 18.
#15. Former international point guard
Ibrahim Saounera (179-1987, currently plays in France) is a teammate of previously mentioned Ibrahim Djambo and both played together in the last French NM1 game.
Saounera helped
Lorient win their game against the third-ranked Lyon crushing them
95-61.
He scored 10 points, had 4 rebounds and dished 3 assists.
Saounera has averaged so far 8.1ppg, 2.2rpg and 3.2apg.
He used to play for the Mali national team
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-1990, agency:
BeoBasket, college:
NM State, currently plays in France). He could not help
Metropolitans (17-7) to beat Limoges CSP Elite (13-10).
Sy scored 7 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 27 minutes.
The league leader Metropolitans lost
104-109 on the road to the much lower-ranked (#9) Limoges CSP Elite.
This year Sy averages: 4.9ppg and 3.1rpg in 15 games he played so far.
He has a dual citizenship: Mali and French.
#2. Tim Troussel (203-PF-1995, college:
Newman, currently plays in Austria) was not able to help
Lions (8-7) in their last game. Despite Troussel's very good performance the fourth-placed Lions (8-7) were crushed
98-77 in Celovec by the lower-ranked (#4) KOS in the Capital West Conference.
He had a double-double by scoring 31 points and getting 17 rebounds. Troussel also added and 4 steals in 40 minutes; quite an impressive performance considering it's only his first season in pro basketball. Troussel's team will play only one more game in the Regular Season. And that game will be critical.
Troussel has individually a very good year with high stats. He averages: 16.1ppg, 9.6rpg, 2.3apg and 1.8spg in 13 games.
Troussel is another player who holds two passports: Mali and French.
#3. Tahirou Diabate (206-F-1998, currently plays college basketball in the States) was not able to secure a victory for the
SDSU (13-4) in their game against the Creighton University (12-7) in the NCAA National Tournament Round 1. Diabate cannot count Thursday's game as one of the best ones.
He scored only 2 points.
The SDSU was edged
72-69 in Omaha by the Creighton University.
The National Tournament Round 1 already ended in the NCAA.
Diabate has averaged so far 2.1ppg and 2.3rpg.
