By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
French Mohamed Diarra, Swedish Will Berg, and Greek Apostolos Roumoglou are heading to Glendale. Their efforts in the 2023-24 edition of the NCAA combined with respective colleges reaching the Final Four.
After two years at Garden City Community College and spending the 2022-23 season at Missouri, Diarra transferred to North Carolina State with two years remaining eligibility. Blossoming in an increased role with the Wolfpack, especially down the stretch of his junior season, he put in 10.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per contest in the postseason tournament, among the key players for Kevin Keatts. Over 39 appearances, including 21 starts, he tallied 6.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game up to the Final Four.
A 20-year freshman in Berg shapes representation for Sweden. The young center played for his country at the junior level before switching from high school to Purdue in 2022. Coming off the bench in 14 games of the 2023-24 season, among the reserves in the paint behind Canadian phenom Zach Edey, he tallied 2.6 points and 1.9 rebounds per contest. The Boilermakers advanced to the Final Four for the first time since 1980.
After three games played in the 2021-22 installment of the Basketball Champions League with PAOK mateco and gaining international experience at the junior level with Greece, Roumoglou joined Connecticut and Dan Hurley for the 2022-23 season. A sophomore in 2023-24, he produced 1.0 points per game in a backup role extended to four appearances in the postseason tournament.
From Connecticut versus Alabama and North Carolina State versus Purdue, the Semifinals winners on April 6 will collide on April 8 in the championship game of the 2023-24 NCAA season.
Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL