Mali look to repeat 'Miracle of Dakar' at #AfroBasketWomen 2019

BAMAKO (Mali) - It was a meandering journey full of twists and turns to Mali's first ever FIBA Women's AfroBasket title back in 2007 in Senegal and to say that they had dreamed, prayed and worked so hard for it is to be moderate with the available superlatives in the diction. 

Mali had in the past made it to the podium once and that was at their debut appearance in 1968. They huffed and puffed thereafter but that was just about it for the next three decades.

However, things turned around for good when the basketball gods heard their cries and as fate would have it, on the night of September 30, 2007 against their biggest arch-rivals, Mali won their first African title in the full viewing of their nemesis. 

It was a sight to behold. Hamchetou Maiga Ba, an African legend of the hoops game, destroyed Senegal dropping 29 points to avenge a Group A loss earlier in the tournament and the rest is history. 

Senegal had won four out of four titles each time they hosted this tournament right from 1977, 1981, 1984 and 1993 but Mali changed the course of history. 

When Mali return to Senegal next month, they will be hoping to replicate their achievement from 12 years ago and win their second African title. 

FIBA World Ranking: No. 5 in Africa (40th  in the World)

Goal: Since winning the 2007 edition, Mali have gone into every tournament as one of the title favourites and the 2019 edition is not any different at all. 

They have clinched three podium places since and only have the 2013 and 2015 editions to be somewhat shameful for as they finished in fifth place. This, they hope will change in Dakar this year as they target their second African title. 

For all the success they have garnered at youth level over the years winning five straight U16 continental titles, now feels like the ripe time to harvest what they have sowed over the years right from grassroots level. 

Latest Result: (Third place finish at FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2017 in Bamako, Mali)

Quote: "Our return to Dakar will be very special because we want to repeat the same story in this year's edition. Our goal is the same - win, win, win and win. We want the trophy like any other nation but it will not be easy at all. We will have to fight mentally and physically to get the gold medal. Being on the podium is good but bringing the trophy to Mali is better," said Touty Gandega, Mali point guard. 

Playing style: Mali play with a very high intensity driven right from the inbound when point guard and poster girl Gandega or Aissata Maiga coming off the bench to the other side of the court with Nassira Traore and Mariam Coulibaly all waiting to execute their game plan. 

They are quick on their feet on both ends of the court, playing with quick reflex which confuses their opponents especially if their drum-playing and dancing fans are in the stands going on about their business and motivating their idols. 

They are a beauty to watch on both offence and defence because they work wholeheartedly and give 100% because they know that one can only get one shot and they must make it count. 

How can they shock the continent? Mali have their work cut out and will have to take one game at a time and aim to be consistent. Their character over the years has shown that they are aggressive and they need to stick to this script. 

Mali are in Group C with back-to-back former champions Angola (2011 and 2013) and Democratic Republic of Congo who won the continental showpiece twice as Zaire in 1986 and 1994. 

If they can find their way into the Semi-Finals then anything can happen from there.

Head coach: Sylvain Lautie took over the team two years ago and right from his passionate coaching on the bench, it has always been easy to see that the Frenchman who just turned 51 years in June believes in his team and is always looking to correcting mistakes.

Expectations are always high when it comes to a nation that loves the game of basketball so much and rightly so and indeed when he flies out west to Dakar, he knows that the only acceptable result is the trophy and gold medals for the players and coaching staff. 

Key players: At 28, Gandega is Mali's thinker. She is the one that commands play right from the back court, motivates the team when it is down and generally brings energy where there seems to be a deteriorating force in the pursuit of victory. 

Mariam Coulibaly in the paint is another whose consistency and efficiency is very commendable but most importantly her undisputed desire and hunger for victory. 

Rising stars: Without a doubt, Rokia Doumbia at 20 years is the player to watch out for. It goes without saying that having a predominantly left-handed player on your team is considered a plus because of the unpredictability it causes when coming up against the usual right-handed opponents who are the majority. 

Doumbia is a representation of the true hard work and commitment Mali as a country have invested into grassroots development especially in the last decade. 

She won gold with Mali and was voted Most Valuable Player at the FIBA U16 Women's African Championship 2015 in Madagascar which automatically qualified the West Africans to the FIBA U17 Women's World Cup 2016 in Spain. 

Two months later, she was part of the Malian squad that lifted the FIBA U18 Women's African Championship trophy 2016 in Egypt to qualify for the FIBA U19 Women's World Cup 2017 in Italy. 

Another U18 graduate Djeneba Ndiaye, who was Most Valuable Player of the FIBA 3x3 Africa Cup 2018, is expected to bring a spark to the already exciting squad. 

Overview: With their near misses in the last decade, Mali could easily be called the "Almost Team" and they know it deeply that they can do a little more and win the African trophy. 

This realisation has gotten to their bones and will drive them to throw everything they have on the court and hope that the basketball gods can surely remember them and have mercy on them. 

As they return to Dakar 12 years after winning their first and only FIBA Women's AfroBasket, Mali are aware of the challenge at hand but they know very well that to be the best, you have to dethrone the status quo and overtake the holders. 

FIBA