Mali women’s national team, Assetou TRAORE and Awa SISSOKO in reinforcement

Temps de lecture : 2 mn 🕗

Assétou Traoré and Awa Sissoko, two Franco-Malian players, got closer to the national women’s selection of Mali, in view of the next women’s Afrobasket.

Passed through the small categories of the national teams of France, the two young players were passing through Bamako a few weeks back where they trained with the national team, made up of local players who are preparing for the Afrobasket 2021 which will take place at the end of the year in Cameroon. This year Mali will have a large group made up of experienced players and young talents in the making (mostly made up of young players from the 2015 and 2019 u19 generations).

Assetou Traoré, 26 years old (1.84 m)

Assetou plays PVBS (NM1) and evolves as a winger. The Ile-de-France native of Ivorian-Malian origin was international under 20 with the France team at the start of her career. She is a young player but she has had a certain background with a certain athletic dimension. Passed by the Nantes Rézé training center, she has worked in the past at Roche Vendée (Ligue 2, 2013-2016) and Toulouse (Ligue 2, 2016-2018), Chartres (Ligue 2, 2018-2019).

Assetou Traoré in brief

Born February 27, 1995 in Paris (25 years old). Post 3-4 (1.84 m).

Teams : Champigny-sur-Marne, Nantes-Rezé (training center), Roche-Vendée (N2 then L2, 2013-2016), Toulouse (L2, 2016-2018), Chartres (Ligue 2, 2018-2019), PVBS (NM1).

Awa Sissoko (1m80, 1994),

After debuts at La Courneuve (2003-2005) then Paris Basket 18 (2005-2009), she joined the training center of USO Mondeville (2009-2012), where she became champion of France Cadettes in 2011 and 2012. She was also crowned champion of France Espoirs LFB in 2011 and won the Coupe de France Cadettes in 2012. International U18, she won Bronze at Euro Cadets 2010, then gold in 2012 with the juniors. She left Normandy and left Mondeville in 2012-2013 to sign for SIG. She joined Ligue 2 to find more playing time:

“Defense is one of my strengths. On the other hand, I have to improve things in attack: take more responsibility, be more reliable in shooting. “

Injured part of the season, she only played 13 games in Alsace for 6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1 average assist. At the end of the season, she signed for two years in Calais while preparing for the U19 World Cup. In the summer of 2013, she won the silver medal at the World Championship with the French women’s basketball team for 19 and under.

Her first season in Calais was disrupted by a tendonitis which took her away from the field for several weeks, which she used for her studies in BTS Negotiation Client Relation. Perpignan is once again crowned Ligue 2 champion by winning against Calais (77-56) in the final, where it scores 12 points and 2 rebounds. After a difficult year in LFB with Calais (2.7 points and 1.3 rebounds in 13 matches), interrupted by a knee injury in January, she signed in June 2015 with the Ligue 2 club Chartres. She commits for 2016-2017 with a relegated to LF2, Toulouse.

Interview with Awa Sissoko

Awa Sissoko in brief

• Gold medal at the 2014 European Championship for 20 and under
• Silver medalist at the 2013 19 and Under Women’s Basketball World Championship
• Bronze medal at the U16 European Championship in 2010
• Gold medal at the U16 European Championship in 2010
• Champion of France Espoirs LFB in 2011 with Mondeville
• Champion of France Cadettes in 2011 and 2012 with Mondeville
• Vice-champion of Ligue 2 in 2014

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