LUANDA (Angola) - Mali's historic run at the 2025 AfroBasket tournament continues after their exhilarating win in the quarterfinals.
They beat Côte d'Ivoire 102-96 in overtime to advance to the semifinals at Pavilhão Multiusos de Luanda on Wednesday.
Game-highs of 35 points and 16 rebounds from Aliou Diarra and 24 points from Mahamane Coulibaly helped Mali advance to the semifinals for the first time since 1999.
Immediately following the thrilling game, Côte d'Ivoire captain Solo Diabaté acknowledged that Aliou Diarra had dashed Côte d'Ivoire's hopes of winning their first AfroBasket title in 40 years.
The Ivorians were led in scoring by Matt Costello with 21 points. Solo Diabate (16 points), Lionel Kouadio (12 points), and Vafessa Fofana (11 points) also scored in double figures.
Mali had to overcome a 57-42 deficit in the third quarter, and their 12-0 run in the same quarter saw them recover, and to the very last second of the game.
TURNING POINT: Diarra's back-to-the-basket layup tied the game 90-90 for Mali, sending the game into overtime. It was at this point that Mali took over the game through Siriman Kanoute.
After Kanoute avoided the attention of his defender, Costello, with a fake shot attempt, he leaned in and awkwardly released a circus shot, which swished into the bucket. The point guard would sink another three-pointer after Coulibaly's three-point play, giving Mali a 99-92 lead. The Eagles built an unassailable lead and eventually won the game by six points.
HERO: Aliou Diarra kept Mali in the game even after they trailed by as many as 15 points.
In the end, the two-time Basketball Africa League (BAL) Defensive Player of the Year, recorded historical 35 points on a 13-for-15 shooting, 16 rebounds and a jaw-dropping efficiency rating of 50. That's right! 50 (F.I.F.T.Y).
Another game-changer for Mali was Siriman Kanoute.
The former U16 and U18 AfroBasket MVP struggled in the game, making seven turnovers, but in overtime, he found his clutch gene.
Kudos to Alhadji Dicko for sticking with his point guard, whom he coached at the 2019 Basketball World Cup final. Despite his struggles, Dicko kept Kanoute at overtime, and he delivered.
STATS DON'T LIE: For a team that shot 3-for-13 from behind the arc in the first half to finish 15-for-35 it shows how hard Mali needed to work overcome an Ivorian team aiming for greatness.
Another key factor for Mali was their dominance in the paint, where they out-rebounded Côte d'Ivoire 58-44.
BOTTOMLINE: Mali's continuity within the youth structures paid off. The chemistry built over the years has led the team to this point - a place in the semi-finals where they will await the winner between Nigeria and Senegal.
WHAT THEY SAID: "First of all, I must congratulate Mali. They played a great game. That's part of the business. Sometimes you win; sometimes you lose. We played really hard until overtime." - Cote d'Ivoire shooting guard Maxence Dadiet.
"We have been together and working for a long time. It's a big shout-out to the coach for trusting this core of players. It was a tough game for me, but the coach showed confidence in me. So, again, a big shout-out to the coach." - Mali forward Mamoudou Diarra.
FIBA