Afrobasket 2025/ Quaterfinal: Mali stuns tournament favorite Côte d’Ivoire
In a stunning AfroBasket 2025 upset, Mali defeated tournament favorite Côte d’Ivoire 102-96 in overtime to advance to the semifinals. The heroic victory came after a dramatic back-and-forth battle that saw multiple momentum shifts.
Côte d’Ivoire seemed poised for victory after erupting with a 27-14 second quarter, but Mali responded with a spectacular 29-15 third-quarter burst to force the dramatic finish. The underdogs then dominated overtime with a decisive 12-6 run.
Aliou Fadiala Diarra delivered a legendary performance for Mali, recording 35 points and 16 rebounds to lead his team to victory.
He received crucial support from Mahamane Coulibaly (24 points) and Mamoudou Diarra (14 points).
Despite strong performances from Matt Costello (21 points) and Solo Diabate (16 points), the Ivorian Elephants fell short of expectations.
This remarkable victory marks Mali’s first semifinal appearance in the competition, eliminating the pre-tournament favorites in what will be remembered as one of the most thrilling matches of AfroBasket 2025.
