LAS PALMAS (Spain) – Mali missed the last two editions of the FIBA ​​Women’s Basketball World Cup, but Sika Kone feels her country has what it takes to return to the tournament later this year.

First, the former African champions will need to pass their FIBA ​​Women’s Basketball Qualifying Tournament test, scheduled for next month in Belgrade, Serbia, where they will go up against Nigeria, France and China in Group B.

“WHEN THE WHISTLE BLOWS ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN DURING THE GAME. MAY THE BEST TEAMS WIN.”– Sika Kone

To secure their return ticket to the World Cup, Mali will need to finish in the top three spots of their group.

Can Kone spark Mali to Women’s World Cup for first time in 12 years?

“All those teams in the World Cup Qualifying Tournament are great teams, and that includes Mali, obviously,” Kone said in an exclusive interview with FIBA.basketball.

The Malians will tip off their Qualifying Tournament campaign against France, a team they last faced in the 2012 FIBA ​​Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Ankara, Turkey. At the time the French dismantled Mali 87-33 in the Group Phase before securing a ticket to the 2012 London Games.

A defiant Kone, who was only eight-years-old when Mali last featured in the FIBA ​​Women’s Basketball Cup in 2010 in Czech Republic, feels they can do better in Belgrade. “When the whistle blows anything can happen during the game. May the best teams win,” she noted.

“Mali had some great players. We, [the new generation] look up to them. They all led us by example. Now it is our turn. We will try to do the same,” the 19-year-old said.

This year’s FIBA ​​Women’s Basketball World Cup will feature the world’s top 12 women’s national teams, with 38 games to be played across 10 days from September 22 – October 1, 2022 in Sydney, Australia.

Kone, who continues to rise in Mali basketball ranks, admits that it’s been too long since Mali appeared in the tournament.

“It would be great to be back [in the Women’s Basketball World Cup].”

“I wasn’t even thinking about basketball when I was eight years of age. I didn’t even know what it was,” Kone revealed.

But, when she first made contact with basketball a few years later, her life was never the same again as she went to become one of Mali’s brightest talents.

From leading Mali to the 2017 FIBA ​​U17 Women’s African Championship title in Mozambique, where she made it to the All-Tournament teamsparking her country to a tenth-place finish in the 2018 FIBA ​​U17 Women’s Basketball in Minsk, to leading Mali to a historic fourth-place finish in the 2021 FIBA ​​U19 Women’s Basketball CupKone became a valuable asset to Mali.

Silka Kone was selected to the 2021 FIBA ​​U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup alongside Caitlin Clark and Sonia Citron (USA), Jade Melbourne (Australia) and Julia Boros (Hungary)

In the Belarusian capital, Kone finished as one of three players with four double-doubles in seven games. She contributed a team high 16.9 points and had 10.9 rebounds per game.

“First off, I would like to thank the Mali Basketball Federation and my team for the great team work,” said Kone, who currently plays for Spar Gran Canaria in Spain’s Liga Femenina Endesa.

Kone went on saying: “We are like a family,” said the 1.90M (6’2″) power forward. “I could not have accomplished all this without my teammates. History was made yes, and hard work always pays off.”

FIBA

Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo has limped out of Portugal’s showdown with Serbia with what appears to be an injury problem.

The 34-year-old was seen clutching his hamstring and he exited the fray, with his side already 1-0 down following Dusan Tadic’s early strike.

Spanish publication AS have claimed that Ronado has left the Portugal showdown with a muscular injury but it remains to be seen whether he will be fit for Juventus’ weekend showdown with Empoli at the weekend.

Portugal may miss their talisman. They are under pressure to pick up the points following the weekend’s dire goalless draw with Ukraine.

But they have fared admirably without Ronaldo in the past.

The most memorable example of the 34-year-old hobbling off out of an international clash was in the final of the 2016 European Championships final against France.

Many wrote off Portugal amid the heat of the battle.

But they still claimed the Euro 2016 trophy, with Swansea flop Eder striking to break French hearts.

Ronaldo’s injury means he now faces a fight to face Ajax when Juventus take on the Dutch side on April 10.

And Andrea Pirlo believes that, if fit, the veteran will tear into their Champions League opponents.

“Juventus’ target is Europe now. They have changed their mentality.

“Ronaldo decided to change his life at 33. It means he had great motivations and he settled in well very quickly.

“In a season, there is always a turnaround, a perfect game that changes the season.

“I think Juve can physically destroy Ajax, it was a good draw.

“Ajax beat Real Madrid but Real were as unorganized as ever and that’s rare. It won’t happen with Juve.

“Juventus can win the Champions League provided that they won’t repeat what they did in Madrid.”

Ronaldo has scored 19 goals for Juventus in Serie A since leaving Real Madrid in the summer.

BELGRADE (Serbia) – A loss of a leader always hurts, but the absence of a true heartbeat like Ezinne Kalu is a major headache for Nigeria and yet Promise Amukamara could be about to offer some pain relief.

When the reigning African champions step out at the FIBA ​​Women’s Qualifying Tournaments, coping without their usual standout playmaker is likely to be their biggest challenge. Kalu has been outstanding during their recent rise to global prominence and while she stays on the sidelines recovering from surgery, opportunity knocks.

And, ready to answer the call is likely to be 1.75m (5’9″) point guard Amukamara, who fortunately for Nigeria, at 28-years-old is no ordinary understudy. In fact, she netted an eye-catching 10 points per game at Tokyo 2020 and has shown the potential to take on even more responsibility for carrying the team.

“It’s a tough loss not have Ezinne (Kalu) with us for the tournament, but we have some players (like Promise) who can do the things that we need on the court,” stressed Nigeria head coach, Otis Hughley.

“We will just have to play a little differently and also because we feel a little beat up with everything right now,” he added.

The China test

Without doubt, Amukamara will be pitched straight into the fire. The heat of any backcourt battle is not likely to be any more fierce in Group B than when Nigeria open up against China at 15.00 on Thursday.

The collective defensive intensity of Liwei Yang, Yuan Li and Siyu Wang in particular will be relentless and how Amukamara copes with that could go a long way to determining whether Nigeria can get off to a positive start.

There’s a lot of responsibility on her shoulders, but with China red hot favorites, it’s looking more and more likely that the last ticket in the pool could be a winner-takes-all Continental matchup on Sunday with Mali.

In the meantime, Mali get their Group B campaign underground when they tip-off against France at 18:00 CET.

FIBA

BELGRADE (Serbia) – For followers of the FIBA ​​youth game, Sika Kone was always a viable Top 10 pick for the 2022 WNBA draft, and a perfect shooting night for Mali in Belgrade may have slienced any doubters.

Kone caught fire for the African nation in her first outing at the FIBA ​​Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament with a staggering 10 of 10 from the floor as she erupted with 26 points in a 77-66 loss to France.

Two-way phenomenon

Yet it wasn’t just the shooting that turned heads. She also weighed in with 9 rebounds, as we as 5 steals, with her energy and relentless defensive effort also standing out.

It was the kind of display that will no doubt have WNBA Draft projection sites thinking long and hard whether they have her high enough on their lists. In fact, some observers and women’s basketball specialists believe Kone should be knocking on the door of the top five.

It comes off the back of her spectacular performances at the FIBA ​​U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup last year when she propelled her team to history and a first ever Semi-Finals spot.

Already the best in Africa?

If her amazing showing in the Serbian capital has re-ignited a debate as to how high she should be picked in the forthcoming draft, it has also sparked a conversation about whether she is already the best African player. What is undeniable is that this is a moniker which she looks absolutely destined for.

For those unaware of her explosive talent, it may come across as just hyperbole. But hold that thought right there. Because there’s even more.

Mali head coach Joaquin Luis Brizuela Carrion believes Kone has the ability to do truly great things.

“Sika is young player, but also a great player as she showed in her 35 minutes against a leading team like France. She can play now in the WNBA because she is clearly ready and in another 4-5 years she is going to be one of the great players in the world – she could even be the greatest.”

Over to you Sika…!

Kone and Mali face China on day 2 in Belgrade at 15:00 CET, while Nigeria play France at 18:00 CET.

FIBA

Sport
September 27, 2021 – 20:24

DETAILS

Kosovo in the women’s football competition has received another positive result, in the qualifying matches for the 2022 European Championship for U17.

The Dardanian girls in the second qualifying match have equalized with Belarus with a result of 1: 1.

For, Kosovo in this match was scored by Rinesa Alija in the 71st minute, while with this goal he equalized the result after the first to pass the girls of Belarus in the 8th minute Hanna Siniauskaya.

The Dardanian girls with this draw are still in the first place with 4 points accumulated, as much as Belarus, but the goal difference is in the best of our hopes 14: 1.

The last match Kosovo U17 will face Luxembourg, where with an eventual victory they will qualify as holders of Group 1 of League B. /Zeri.info

Sport
June 11, 2021 – 23:37

Latest news from the sport

Kosovo’s representative in the women’s competition for two days now has started the preparatory gathering for the qualification cycle of the 2023 World Cup.

This gathering is being held at the National Educational Camp in Hajvalia and will last until June 15, while the selector Aferdita Fazlija has at her disposal 29 football players, with whom she and her staff are working diligently to prepare as well as possible. for the matches starting in September, FFK has announced.

For the first time part of Kosovo are three footballers: Elizabeta Ejupi from London City Lionesses, Venera Rexhi from Mallbackens IF and Albulena Gashi from ASD Portogruaro Calcio. As part of the preparations, a test match will take place tomorrow, where the gathered players will be divided into two teams and thus will have the opportunity to show their current form. The first qualifying matches “Dardanet” will take place in early September, first against Albania and then against Norway.

List of footballers:

Florentina Kolgeci
Lavdije Behramaj
Erda Podvorica
Albulena Fejza
Free Syla
Lumbardha Misini
Donjeta Halilaj
Verona Berisha
Feride Kastrati
Agnesa Gashi
Blerta Shala
Kaltrina Biqkaj
Erjona Emerllahu
Fatlinda Rama
Fortesa Berisha
Marigonë Tahiri
Edona Kastrati
Modesta Uka
Erëleta Memeti
Viola Avduli
Venus Rexhi
Drita Çelaj
Argnesa Rexhepi
Albulena Gashi
Elizabeth Ejupi
Alketa Rama
Rita Olluri
Elmedina Avdili
Blerta Smaili
/Zeri.info

Sport
June 06, 2021 – 19:36

Austria and Estonia will face each other in the EURO U21 qualifiers.

In this match, justice will be administered by Kosovar judges, Genc Nuza, Fatlum Berisha, Bujar Selimaj and the fourth judge Besfort Kasumi, writes Gazetasheshi.com

The match takes place on June 8, starting at 19:10 at the stadium “Keine Sorgen Arena”. / Zeri.info

Sport
February 12, 2021 – 09:09

Read the details!

Chelsea has secured a place in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup after last night’s victory over the Championship team, Barnsley, writes “Zeri.info”.

The “Blues” won with a goal scored by Abraham, but that turned out to have the value of qualifying further.

Chelsea’s German coach, Thomas Tuchel, has admitted that his team had a very difficult time to triumph, but according to him this happens.

“I am satisfied with the qualification to the quarterfinals. We scored a beautiful goal, but the opponents became aggressive and could equalize us. We fought, while Kepa saved us in some cases in the first half “, said Thucheli.

“I admit we suffered, but it happens in these kinds of games and I do not want to be harsh on my boys. Sheffield Utd in the next round? “On Sunday they faced us, they played with a lot of intensity”, he said. /Zeri.info