University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Coulibaly Reflects on Silver Medal Finish for Mali at FIBA U19 World Cup
7/17/2019 3:24:00 PM | Men's Basketball
PITTSBURGH – Incoming University of Pittsburgh men's basketball freshman Karim Coulibaly helped Mali make history in the 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup held in Greece from June 29-July 7, with the team navigating pool play and advancing through the bracket to compete in the gold medal game.
"We played against great teams," said Coulibaly. "It taught us how to play hard and how to keep working hard."
Mali became the first team from an African country to advance to the gold medal game against the United States in the FIBA U19 World Cup after defeating France in the semifinals, 76-73.
"I am really proud of my teammates and myself," said Coulibaly. "I feel like I deserve it because I put a lot of work into it and I knew that I wanted to be there too. I feel blessed."
Coulibaly was a major factor on the Mali team as the forward averaged 13.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 2.4 assists per game throughout the tournament against teams from the United States, France, Puerto Rico, New Zealand, Canada, Australia and Latvia.
With the level of play that he faced in Greece along with his time at Scotland Campus, Coulibaly believes that he will be prepared for the upcoming season. In two seasons at Scotland Campus, Coulibaly scored over 1,000 points and helped the team to 57 wins and back-to-back No. 1 prep national rankings. He averaged 15.6 points and 11.4 rebounds per game while shooting 64.2 percent from the field to earn 2019 Mid Atlantic Conference Player of the Year honors
"I started preparing before I went back home," said Coulibaly. "I went to a big school in Scotland Campus, so we worked three times a day or four times a day, so I was ready."
In the gold medal game against the United States, Coulibaly was a strong force, leading the team with 17 points while also registering three blocks and two rebounds as the team fell, 93-79, en route to a silver medal finish in the tournament.
""I feel blessed," said Coulibaly. "To play for your national team, that is great. It pushed me to work hard."
"We played against great teams," said Coulibaly. "It taught us how to play hard and how to keep working hard."
Mali became the first team from an African country to advance to the gold medal game against the United States in the FIBA U19 World Cup after defeating France in the semifinals, 76-73.
"I am really proud of my teammates and myself," said Coulibaly. "I feel like I deserve it because I put a lot of work into it and I knew that I wanted to be there too. I feel blessed."
Coulibaly was a major factor on the Mali team as the forward averaged 13.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 2.4 assists per game throughout the tournament against teams from the United States, France, Puerto Rico, New Zealand, Canada, Australia and Latvia.
With the level of play that he faced in Greece along with his time at Scotland Campus, Coulibaly believes that he will be prepared for the upcoming season. In two seasons at Scotland Campus, Coulibaly scored over 1,000 points and helped the team to 57 wins and back-to-back No. 1 prep national rankings. He averaged 15.6 points and 11.4 rebounds per game while shooting 64.2 percent from the field to earn 2019 Mid Atlantic Conference Player of the Year honors
"I started preparing before I went back home," said Coulibaly. "I went to a big school in Scotland Campus, so we worked three times a day or four times a day, so I was ready."
In the gold medal game against the United States, Coulibaly was a strong force, leading the team with 17 points while also registering three blocks and two rebounds as the team fell, 93-79, en route to a silver medal finish in the tournament.
""I feel blessed," said Coulibaly. "To play for your national team, that is great. It pushed me to work hard."
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