Six players return from 2011 for Mali's second attempt to win at home
BAMAKO (FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2017) - Kankou Coulibaly has been so efficient for Mali in recent years that head coach Sylvain Lautie made sure to keep her on the hosts' final roster for the FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2017.
Team leading scorer at the 2015 edition of the African Championship in Cameroon with averages of 12 points per contest, the 1.89m power forward is set to make her third straight appearance at FIBA Women's AfroBasket.
Six other players from 2015 including Nassira Traore, Fatoumata Bagayoko, Naignouma Coulibaly, Ramata Diakite, Meiya Tirera and Aissata Maiga are set to return as Mali gear up for hosting the 12-team African Championship from Friday, August 18-27.
The Malians have never hidden their intentions of bouncing back from a disappointing Third-Place finish achieved as hosts six years ago.
And to do so, half of Mali's 2011 team, including 2.02m center Astan Dabo, embraced the challenge of trying their second attempt to win FIBA Africa's most important women's competition at home.
| Mali 12-player final roster for FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2017 | |||
| Fatoumata Bagayoko | Kouta Camara | Kankou Coulibaly | Mariam Coulibaly |
| Naignouma Coulibaly | Astan Dabo | Ramata Diakite | Touty Gandega |
| Minata Keita | Aissata Maiga | Meiya Tirera | Nassira Traore |
Drawn in Group A, Mali will open their Preliminary Phase facing Tunisia on Friday, August 18. They will resume their Group Phase campaign going up against two-time African champions Angola, Central African Republic, Cameroon and Cote d'Ivoire.
In order to make their first FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup appearance since 2010, Mali would need to reach the FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2017 final to secure a place at next year's worlds in Spain.
FIBA
