MLI - Mali book ticket for Beijing

DAKAR (FIBA Africa Championship for Women) The women’s national team from Mali has booked their ticket for the Olympic Basketball tournament 2008 in Beijing in beating host Senegal in Sunday’s final 63-56. Against all odds the team from Mali was able to hand down a bitter defeat to the “Lions” from Senegal.

Mali head coach Jose Ruiz was happy and proud of his team after the historic win: “Our defeat against Senegal in the pool phase was important for our win in the Final,” he said after the Final. “Our goal was to watch Senegal how they would develop their game. We have observed them carefully and we have learned our lessons.”

The champion, inspired by WNBA Star Hamchetou Maiga, ended the first half with a 9 points lead. The efforts by Senegal to close the game in the last quarter when they reduced the score to only three point’s margin were rejected by Maiga and her colleagues although thousands of furious Sengalese fans did everything to help their team winning and rocked the arena in Dakar.

Angola won the bronze medal by beating Mozambique (73-58) at the Marius Ndiaye stadium in Dakar. Silver medal winner Senegal and Angola will make an attempt at the Olympics in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying tournament in July 2008 in a venue to be decided by FIBA at its Central Board meeting in Chicago December 8-9.

Hamchétou Maïga, the captain of Mali was appointed Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the event. Hamchétou Maïga is 29 years old and plays with the WNBA Hornet Comets (USA). She was joined in the All Star Five team by Carla Dasylva (Mozambique), Diéné Diawara (Mali), Christina Andrade (Angola) and the Senegalese Aya Traoré. Diéné Diawara, from Mali was also appointed as the best rebounder, whilst the best scorer was Christina Andrade from Angola and the best three point scorer was Carla Dasylva of Mozambique.

Final Standings:

1. Mali
2. Senegal
3. Angola
4. Mozambique
5. Nigeria
6. Cameroon
7. D.R. of Congo
8. Ivory Coast
9. Cape Verde
10. Tunisia
11. Madagascar
12. Kenya