Zone 2 Weekly Review: 30/01/2024

FIBA Africa Zone 2 Weekly News

Senegal

Basketball Africa League-bound AS Douanes have made a number of new additions to their BAL squad. During the weekend, the club announced the return of two familiar faces, Birahim 'Biba' Gaye and Abdou Karim Kébé, both players with a strong connections to the club.

"Biba" achieved a lot of success with AS Douanes before departing in 2022 to join ASC Ville de Dakar. His return to the fold adds valuable experience to Pabi Gueye's squad in this season in the Men's N1 league.

Abdou Karim Kébé returns to the "Gabelous" after a stint with ASC Ville de Dakar in 2022. The former Ouakam player aims to make a strong comeback and contribute to the team's objectives.

AS Douanes has additionally secured signings from Doudou Ndoye of Jeanne d'Arc and Pape Ibrahima Ndiaye from ASC Ville de Dakar. These reinforcements join the initial recruits, including Babacar Diallo, Bassirou Ba, and Amadou Abdoulaye Harouna.

Cierra Jenay Dillard, who arrived in Turkey shortly after her impressive MVP run in the Africa Women's Basketball League (AWBL), has swiftly left her mark with Tourism X Boğaziçi Basketbol.

The Senegalese point God delivered an outstanding performance in their 69-68 victory over Urla, achieving a double-double with 31 points, 12 assists, 9 rebounds, and 5 steals (+36 rating). Additionally, she was honored with the Hoops Agents TKBL trophy for Player of the Week.

This remarkable display not only propelled Boğaziçi back to the winning column but also elevated them to the 14th spot in the overall TKBL rankings. In four games, Cierra Dillard boasts an impressive average of 25.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 8.0 assists.

Guinea

In the quest for talented players capable of elevating the Guinean basketball team's performance, the Guinean Basketball Federation is on the brink of securing the services of the 2019 NBA All-Star Game Dunk Contest champion.

Efforts are underway to facilitate Hamidou Diallo's inclusion in Guinea's national basketball team, where he will join his cousin Alpha Diallo, who plays for AS Monaco in France's Betclic Élite and the Euroleague. Diallo is currently playing the NBA's G-League for the Washington Wizards' development team, the Capital City Go Go.
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After concluding his contract during the pre-qualifying tournament for the 2024 Olympics last August, the Serbian coach coach Zeljko Zecevic has been called back by the FGBB's directors to lead the next FIBA window from February 24th to 26th, 2024, in Tunisia as part of the qualifiers for the 2025 AfroBasket.

With the elections for the new GBBF chairman scheduled for March 2024, almost three months away, the executive board has opted to commit only to a new long-term contract after the Guinean Basketball Federation's elective general meeting.

Coach Zeljko Zecevic can still showcase his expertise on the African stage against the Federação Angolana De Basquetebol, the Tunisian national team, and Kenya, respectively.

Mali

Mamadou Vieux Keita, the iconic former captain of Stade Malien, has joined the Moroccan Tangiers-based club MAJD for the season.