FIBA U19 World Cup: Mali 72 - Serbia 70

Mirotic12 · Post #1 » by **Mirotic12** » Sun Jun 29, 2025 12:30 am

Mods, excuse me if this should be posted on the international forum. I was going to post it there, but then I figured this seems like it's significant enough for a general basket discussion here.

Watch on YouTube

Mali was 2nd in 2019. They beat Canada and France, and lost to USA in the final.

Now they beat Serbia in the first game in 2025.

NCHeels2008 · Post #2 » by **NCHeels2008** » Sun Jun 29, 2025 2:26 am

Mirotic12 wrote:Mods, excuse me if this should be posted on the international forum. I was going to post it there, but then I figured this seems like it's significant enough for a general basket discussion here.

Watch on YouTube

Mali was 2nd in 2019. They beat Canada and France, and lost to USA in the final.

Now they beat Serbia in the first game in 2025.

Where did their 2019 players end up? Euro league?

Raps in 4 · Post #3 » by **Raps in 4** » Sun Jun 29, 2025 2:56 am

Masai must be proud seeing this result. These are the fruits of his labour.

Mirotic12 · Post #4 » by **Mirotic12** » Sun Jun 29, 2025 3:12 am

NCHeels2008 wrote:Where did their 2019 players end up? Euro league?

I think one of them plays in a 2nd/3rd European league. I don't think any of them played in EuroLeague. Just one name from the roster looks familiar for a guy playing in Europe, but not in EuroLeague.

UcanUwill · Post #5 » by **UcanUwill** » Sun Jun 29, 2025 5:49 am

NCHeels2008 wrote:
Where did their 2019 players end up? Euro league?

Mali was very strong back in 2019, because Oumar Ballo was international youth superstar. I don't know where most of their other guys now play, but I do not recognize their names. Thing with FIBA youth tournmanets, very few of their participants actually turn into something.

sisibilio · Post #6 » by **sisibilio** » Sun Jun 29, 2025 10:04 am

UcanUwill wrote:
NCHeels2008 wrote:
Where did their 2019 players end up? Euro league?

Mali was very strong back in 2019, because Oumar Ballo was international youth superstar. I don't know where most of their other guys now play, but I do not recognize their names. Thing with FIBA youth tournmanets, very few of their participants actually turn into something.

Ballo and the other main guy just finished their NCAA run.

UcanUwill · Post #7 » by **UcanUwill** » Sun Jun 29, 2025 10:14 am

sisibilio wrote:
UcanUwill wrote:
NCHeels2008 wrote:
Where did their 2019 players end up? Euro league?

Mali was very strong back in 2019, because Oumar Ballo was international youth superstar. I don't know where most of their other guys now play, but I do not recognize their names. Thing with FIBA youth tournmanets, very few of their participants actually turn into something.

Ballo and the other main guy just finished their NCAA run.

Ballo was a huge college disappointment, at least to me, I barely heard about him in all these years, i thought he would be top 5 pick lock.

sisibilio · Post #8 » by **sisibilio** » Sun Jun 29, 2025 11:11 am

Ballo is too slow and unathletic for the NBA, he should be useful in Europe.

knicksfan974 · Post #9 » by **knicksfan974** » Sun Jun 29, 2025 4:30 pm

USA and AJ Dybantsa vs. France in 1,5 hours. Free stream on YouTube.

lambchop · Post #10 » by **lambchop** » Sun Jun 29, 2025 6:23 pm

Serbia also just lost against Argentina FWIW. This definitely seems like a weaker Serbian generation. Drezgic looked terrible in the NCAA and even with MEGA afterwards. Kostic could certainly become a solid pro.

Props to Mali. These victories mean a lot for African basketball.

As for Argentina, they've looked solid again in recent years, but still household names are coming out of there, despite the upwards trend.

knicksfan974 · Post #11 » by **knicksfan974** » Sun Jun 29, 2025 7:29 pm

Cameroon could have put Australia away but their center dunked on the wrong basket after an inbounds play with less than minute to play in regulation. :noway:

Now the game is in OT.

Mirotic12 · Post #12 » by **Mirotic12** » Sun Jun 29, 2025 7:50 pm

sisibilio wrote:Ballo is too slow and unathletic for the NBA, he should be useful in Europe.

Europe or EuroLeague? As in useful somewhere in some European league, or in the actual EuroLeague?

Because centers that are both slow and unathletic tend to struggle in the EuroLeague.

sisibilio · Post #13 » by **sisibilio** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 10:00 am

Read on Twitter

?

sisibilio · Post #14 » by **sisibilio** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 10:03 am

Read on Twitter

?

lambchop · Post #15 » by **lambchop** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 10:04 am

knicksfan974 wrote:Cameroon could have put Australia away but their center dunked on the wrong basket after an inbounds play with less than minute to play in regulation. Now the game is in OT.

And they ended up losing the game. Definitely the highlight of the tournament so far.

pepe1991 · Post #16 » by **pepe1991** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 10:10 am

sisibilio wrote:

Read on Twitter
?

This is brilliant

More i watch it, i'm more amazed. So guy spent 20 min attacking or watching from bench his team attack other side on the floor. Goes in, "screens offensive player" rolls and dunks

BruttoNostra · Post #17 » by **BruttoNostra** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 10:15 am

why is Malik Beasley playing for Mali U19 team? :lol:

LuDux1 · Post #18 » by **LuDux1** » Mon Jun 30, 2025 10:32 am

Meanwhile at Women Eurobasket finals Spain led Belgium 65:53 with 3 minutes to go
9:40

Watch on YouTube

juanc · Post #19 » by **juanc** » Fri Jul 4, 2025 12:06 pm

Slovenia reaching the semifinal for the first time in history, after destroying Israel. I anyone has time watch a game, they play a beautyfull brand of team basketball. Time for a cold one!

jkvonny · Post #20 » by **jkvonny** » Fri Jul 4, 2025 12:38 pm

Nice little upset.

Nice to see an African nation becoming a contender.