Ibou Badji explains Senegal's revenge against Mali

Ibou Badji said Senegal’s victory over Mali had a deeper significance than a routine win. The result allowed the Lions to overcome the team that had eliminated them in the semi-finals of the previous AfroBasket, a defeat that Badji said had remained difficult to accept.

Senegal won 97-71, a 26-point victory that gave the team a clear response against its former tormentors. Badji explained after the game that the memory of the semi-final loss was still present, making success against Mali especially important for him and his teammates. His comments placed the emphasis on settling that previous disappointment rather than simply adding another win to Senegal’s record.

The result also gives Senegal a measure of revenge in the matchup between the two teams. Mali had ended their last AfroBasket campaign at the semi-final stage, while Senegal now secured a commanding victory when they met again. Badji’s reaction showed how strongly that earlier elimination had shaped his approach to the game.

For the Senegalese player, the 97-71 scoreline therefore carried a personal dimension. He said the previous defeat had been weighing on him and that beating Mali was necessary. Senegal’s success changed the meaning of this meeting, turning it into an opportunity to answer the disappointment of the last AfroBasket semi-final.