Mali pull one of di biggest upset for FIBA Women Basketball World Cup history for Berlin, dem beat Spain 82-73. Na only dia second win for di tournament, afta dem beat fellow African side Senegal for 2010, and dia first-ever win against European opposition.
Di result carry extra weight for side wey dey 18th for di FIBA World Ranking wey Nike dey present, with Spain sitting 12 places higher. Spain don open di tournament with 30-point win over host nation Germany and dem be runners-up for last year FIBA Women EuroBasket.
Mali recover sharp sharp from narrow 102-97 loss to Japan for dia opener to dictate di tempo against di Spaniards. Dia aggressive approach, wey dem build on pushing di ball for transition and punishing turnovers, open up decisive third quarter. Afta dem go 1 of 9 from three-point range earlier, Mali connect on 6 of 7 from long range for di period to break di game open.
Sika Kone lead di way again for Mali and dem name am TCL Player of di Game afta e post 19 points and 10 rebounds. Her double-double na her fifth consecutive for Women World Cup — first one for tournament history — and her sixth overall, wey push am enter all-time top 10.
