Team Profile: Will Senegal be the surprise package in Antwerp?

ANTWERP (Belgium) - Senegal do have previous Olympic experience and while it will be tough against Belgium and USA, a win against African rivals Nigeria might be enough to secure a return to the Games.

 

 

The Roster

The charge will be led by Cierra Dillard who racked up 20 points per game at the FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2023 when she was impressive en-route to Senegal grabbing silver. But this is a roster that has many different athletes can score - maybe not huge, but that collective can be impactful.

Omoul Sarr is a player that can put points on the board or use her impressive passing vision

Yacine Diop has shown her prowess on the big stage previously, including at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2018 when Senegal showed they can pull out a big show by famously beating Latvia. Meanwhile Oumoul Sarr can score and create with equal poise, watch out for Fatou Babou Diagne on the glass and 

The Question

There is no way for Senegal to compete offensively and employ any kind of effective 'run and gun' principles. So can they use rugged defense to somehow stay in games, keep it tough and give themselves a shot at scoring enough points to win?

The Hope

Cierra Dillard was the standout for the team at the AfroBasket Women 2023 and was so impressive, she managed to land a spot on the All-Star Five. The hope will be that she continues to be the kind of 'X-Factor' baller that can really fuel Senegal's bid to get to France. She blows hot and cold at times, but if she gets it right against Nigeria, then the hope is, this will be the difference-maker!

Cierra Dillard made the All-Star Five at the FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2023

The Fear

The main fear has surely got to be Senegal's recent record against Nigeria which has not been positive. In the big games against their rivals for the best part of a decade they have lost all the big ones at the various editions of the FIBA Women's AfroBasket. Most of them were not exactly blowouts, with modest margins, but has it now become a mental barrier that Nigeria really do have Senegal's number? 

 IN THE LAST 10 FIBA EVENTS

YEAR	EVENT	LOCATION	ACHIEVEMENT
2023	FIBA Women's AfroBasket	Kigali (RWA)	2nd
2022	FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup	Sydney (AUS)	DNP
2021	Olympic Games	Tokyo (JPN)	DNP
2021	FIBA Women's AfroBasket	Yaounde (CMR)	4th
2019	FIBA Women's AfroBasket	Dakar (SEN)	2nd
2018	FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup	Tenerife (ESP)	12th
2017	FIBA Women's AfroBasket	Bamako (MLI)	2nd
2016	Olympic Games	Rio (BRA)	12th
2015	FIBA Women's AfroBasket	Yaounde (CMR)	1st
2014	FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup	Istanbul (TUR)	DNP

The poll
 

FIBA