Mali set for strong showing in Under-19 Basketball World Cup

Mali aiming high at Under-19 Basketball World Cup

JOHANNESBURG, June 30 (ANA) – Mali will call on two experienced players when they do battle in the Under-19 Basketball World Cup this year, with the pair of Oumar Ballo and Mohamed Sidibe having experience in the final of the event in 2019.

Ballo, who received a spot in the All-Star Five for his performance in 2019, and Sidibe are the headliners of head coach Alhadji Dicko’s team.

The duo are just two of nine players in the extended list who play outside of Mali.  Ballo was a freshman student-athlete at Gonzaga University and has now transferred to the University of Arizona to become a Wildcat this next season.

Sidibe, meanwhile. played in France’s second league ProB for Nancy.

Ballo averaged 17.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.2 steals and 3. 8 blocks in helping Mali make history for the continent of Africa by reaching the Under-19 final – the best previous result by an African nation having been 11th place.

Also joining Ballo on the team after playing in the United States this past season are Cherif Kanoute, Sekou Kalle and Fousseyni Traore. Daouda Kaita, Kalilou Ladji Dembele and Souleymane Traore all played in Spain while Modibo Diaby was with Romanian club CS Universitatea Cluj-Napoca.

In addition, Ballo and Sidibe are not the only two players who have played for Mali at international level with two others also playing at the global level. Bourama Coulibaly and Ladji Kaliliou Dembele were teammates of Ballo and Sidibe at the Under-17 Basketball World Cup 2018, where the Africans faced international powers Serbia, United States, Australia, Dominican Republic and Argentina.

Coulibaly was Mali’s driving force in defending their title at the Under-18 African Championship 2020, taking home the MVP (Most Valuable Player) award as he averaged 11.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.6 steals.

Also back in the mix from the Under-18 team in December along with Coulibaly are Diaby, Abdramane Kanoute, Tamadjan Konate, Sidibe and Allaye Togo.

The point guard talent Kanoute is one of two players who helped Mali finish second at the Under-16 African Championship 2019 along with Dembele, The quartet of Ballo, Coulibaly, Fousseyni Traore and Sidibe helped Mali win the Under-16 African title in 2017 – the country’s first-ever crown at that age class.

Mali have been drawn into Group D with reigning champions United States, Australia and Turkey. The 15th edition of the tournament will run from July 3 to 11 in Daugavpils and Riga. – African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Michael Sherman