BUR - Joris Bado ready to come back in two years

ABIDJAN (AfroBasket/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Every time Burkina Faso step out on the court at the AfroBasket 2013 currently taking place in Abidjan, it is almost impossible not to notice Joris Bado's performances.

Bado runs up and down the court, usually finishing fastbreaks and making exuberant one-on-one plays. It comes as no surprise that, four games into the tournament, he has the team's highest field goal percentage, despite being only 22 and the youngest player on the team.

Despite Bado's dedication, Burkina Faso remain winless, but this is just the beginning of the country's basketball future, according to France-born Bado.

Last summer, the 1.94m shooting guard - who last played for CahorSauzel in France's Nationale 3 competition - helped Burkina Faso beat Togo in the Africa zone 3 qualifier and he set high expectations about the AfroBasket.

However, they had a setback when Jean Victor Traore - who played a crucial role in the qualifiers and led the team in scoring - failed to join the team at the AfroBasket for alleged professional reasons.

"It is a shame he could not come with us, I am sure he could have made a big difference to us, especially in position 3," Bado explained to FIBA.com.

"We are in progress, I am sure the next AfroBasket will be better for us, if we keep on working hard. I am already looking forward to help the team qualify for the next AfroBasket.

"This is a lifetime experience. Seeing these fans chanting and supporting us, it is incredible."

But with so much support, Burkina lost all four games to date against Rwanda, Tunisia, Morocco and Cote d'Ivoire.

"Those are big teams in Africa. We have played the best we could," Bado reflected.

"Yes, we beat Togo in the qualifiers, but here the reality is different."

FIBA