Stade Malien (basketball) explained

City:Bamako, Mali
Stade Malien
League:Ligue 1
BAL
History:Stade Malien
(1960–present)
Coach:Boubacar Kanouté
Championships:19 Ligue 1
25 Malian Cups
Nickname:Blancs de Bamako (Whites of Bamako)
President:Mahamadou Samaké
Arena:Palais des Sports Salamatou Maiga
Capacity:8,000
Gm:Moustapha Touré

Stade Malien is a Malian basketball team based in Bamako. It is part of the multi-sports club, which also has a football team and rugby team. Founded in 1960, Stade plays in the Ligue 1, the highest level of basketball in Mali.

The club is one of the most decorated teams in Mali, having won the Ligue 1 a record nineteen times and the Malian Cup a record twenty-five times.[1] The Palais des Sports Salamatou Maiga is the home arena of the team.

Stade Malien were the third placed team in the 2023 season of the Basketball Africa League (BAL), and have qualified for the 2025 season as well. They were also runners-up in the FIBA Africa Club Champions Cup twice, in 1972 and 1989.

History

The parent club of the basketball team was founded in 1960.

It took thirty-two years before Stade Malien won its first title, which was in 1992.

They also reached the FIBA Africa Club Champions Cup finals twice, in 1972 and 1989. Both finals were lost, to Red Star Ndongo and ASEC Mimosas respectively.

Recent years

After last appearing in international competitions in 2007, Stade Malien played in the 2023 season of the Basketball Africa League (BAL), after finishing third in the West Division of the Road to BAL.[2] Stade Malien finished as winners of the 2023 Sahara Conference, after finishing with a 3–2 record. They were led by local young players, 22-year old Souleymane Berthé who averaged 20.4 points, and 21-year old Aliou Diarra who lead the conference in rebounding with 13.4 per game.[3]

In the 2023 BAL Playoffs, Stade Malien continued its rise by defeating the Cape Town Tigers in the quarter-finals and thus becoming the first Malian team to reach the BAL semi-finals. In the semi-finals, the Malians narrowly lost to Al Ahly, before taking the third place game over Petro de Luanda. Aliou Diarra was named the BAL Defensive Player of the Year, and was given a spot in the All-BAL First Team.

After missing the 2024 season due to financial issues, Stade Malien was able to qualify for their second BAL season in the 2025 season, with their new head coach Boubacar Kanouté, and their core of local players, including Mahamane Coulibaly, Abdramane Kanouté and Ibrahim Djambo.[4] [5]

Arena

Stade Malien plays its home games at the Palais des Sports Salamatou Maiga, a 8,000-capacity arena in Bamako.[6]

Honours

National

Ligue 1 (record)

Malian Cup (record)[10]

Malian Super Cup

International

Basketball Africa League (BAL)

FIBA Africa Champions Cup

Road to BAL

Players

2023 roster

The following was the Stade Malien roster in the 2023 BAL season:

As of 22 May 2023.[15] Head coach: Kaba Kanté

Notable players

In the Basketball Africa League

SeasonRoad to BALMain competition
width=35width=35ResultQualifiedwidth=35width=35Result
20236253
2024Withdrew due to financial issuesDid not qualify
202552TBD
Total1142/253

Women's team

Stade Malien also has a women's team that plays in the highest division of Mali. The team has won the Malian championship three times (in 2001, 2011 and 2013) and the Malian Women's Cup eleven times (1981, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2016, 2022).[16]

References

  1. Web site: 2022-12-08 . Basketball Homme - Stade Malien de Bamako . 2023-03-21 . fr-FR.
  2. Web site: 2022-11-19 . Stade Malien pick last ticket from West Division for BAL 2023 . 2022-11-19 . FIBA.basketball . en.
  3. Web site: Sikubwabo . Damas . 2023-03-22 . Stade Malien are Sahara Conference champions, Monastir eliminated . 2023-03-24 . The New Times . en.
  4. Web site: 2024-11-10 . Stade Malien Stats, Games, Results, Rosters, Photos & Videos - FIBA Africa Champions Clubs ROAD TO B.A.L 2025 FIBA.basketball . 2024-11-11 . www.fiba.basketball . en.
  5. Web site: 2024-11-09 . Stade Malien outpace KSA, qualify for the 2025 BAL . 2024-11-11 . www.fiba.basketball . en.
  6. Web site: 2024-11-04 . Meet the team: Stade Malien . 2024-11-07 . www.fiba.basketball . en.
  7. Web site: Stade Malien . 2022-07-31 . Eurobasket LLC.
  8. Web site: Mody . Cisse . 2014-07-23 . Mali • Le Stade Malien sacré champion national de basket masculin • Malijet . 2022-08-04 . Malijet . en-US.
  9. Web site: Demba . Varore . 2022-09-09 . AS Police et Stade malien sacrés champions du Mali . 2022-09-15 . Sport News Africa . fr-FR.
  10. Web site: Palmarès . 2023-04-09 . Basket Mali . fr-FR.
  11. Web site: 2014-08-27 . Finales 2014 de la coupe du Mali de basket-ball : Le Stade Malien et l’AS Commune III sur le podium . 2022-08-04 . maliweb.net . fr-FR.
  12. News: 2022-11-06 . Stade Malien clinch Cup title in Bamako . Afrobasket.com . 2022-11-06.
  13. Web site: Super Coupe du Mali: Le Stade Malien fait coup double - NEWS BASKET BEAFRIKA . 2022-06-29 . NEWS BASKET BEAFRIKA . fr.
  14. Web site: Demba . Varore . 2023-02-19 . Mali : Le Stade Malien réalise le doublé en Super Coupe . 2023-02-28 . Sport News Africa . fr-FR.
  15. Web site: Stade Malien (MALI) . 2023-03-21 . The BAL . en.
  16. Web site: 2022-12-08 . Basketball Dame - Stade Malien de Bamako . 2023-03-30 . fr-FR.