Senior forward Khadija Faye won a gold medal in the ninth edition of the Francophone Games with her home country Senegal.
The Francophone Games have united French-speaking nations and former colonies of France in a series of artistic and sporting events every four years since 1989.
The Senegalese women’s basketball team won one of the 10 gold and 25 overall medals achieved by the country in this edition of the games, but the final game wasn’t an easy win. The team was only four points ahead when they entered the locker room at the end of the first half.
“When we went to the locker room it was like, okay we get together, we talk,” Faye said. “We were like, okay this is not how we play, we need to step up and do what we always do.”
Senegal returned to defeat Cameroon 78-54 and now have the 2024 Olympics in sight.
“We know that it won’t be easy to play against great players,” she said. “So the goal is to always work hard and step up our game so we can be ready.”
Faye was warmly welcomed by her teammates and the coaching staff as she returned to Austin from the tournament in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“They were really happy for me,” she said. “Most of them were just saying ‘That’s how you are,’ even if I don’t feel like it. I feel like I still have a lot more to grow my game and work harder. But they were like ‘Yes, you’re champion, we knew that you could do it.’”
Faye joined the Texas women’s basketball program in 2022 as a transfer from Texas Tech, where she grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked three shots in an upset win against her current team. Faye played in 38 games for the Lady Raiders and started in 24 contests.
“I think playing time has really helped her and she’s just going to continue to get better and better,” Texas coach Vic Schaefer said to the Austin-American Statesman. “She’s really gotten an opportunity and she’s really taken advantage of it. I’m really happy for her. She’s a great kid.”
In her first year at Texas, Faye played in all 36 games and averaged 5.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in the season, scoring a season-record 19 points against Alabama State. But the work is not done and she aims to get even better numbers next season.
“I’m a person that, even if they think I am doing great, I always feel like I’m not,” she said. “I always want to feel better and better and get better and better.”
