Former Spartan Plays Through Grief and Hardship
Former Michigan State Spartans center Mady Sissoko is now a senior with the Cal-Berkeley Bears (8-8) and has been a key piece for them all season long in his fifth and final year of college basketball. Sissoko learned of some earth-shattering news prior to their latest game against Virginia Tech.
Last Friday, a day before the Bears were set to face the Hokies at home, Sissoko received a phone call, breaking the news that his mother, Fatoumata, had passed away. She had been overseas in Africa, his home continent.
Even while going through one of the hardest things in any individual's life, Sissoko told the Cal program that he was going to play in its Saturday game against the Hokies. Cal coach Mark Madsen respected his decision and allowed him to play.
In a 71-68 loss, Sissoko played 27 minutes, notching 4 points and eight rebounds. He was a key piece to the Bears' second-half comeback, where they outscored Virginia Tech 45-29 but fell just short of completing the comeback.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Mady Sissoko who got a phone call early yesterday morning that his mother had passed away," Madsen said after the game. "And so, we're supporting him, and he is such an outstanding person. He made the decision that he wanted to play tonight, and we respected that, and he's such a huge part of this team. Mady's mother is in Africa, and he's in the process of figuring out next steps in terms of the grieving process, whether or not he will travel. Still with that, he was such an outstanding part of the comeback in the second half. I was proud of him, I was proud of our guys for rallying around him during a very difficult time."
As Madsen said, Sissoko is "an outstanding person" and is also the ultimate competitor. While dealing with one of the most difficult times of his life, the senior decided to be there for his guys and played considerable minutes, making a strong impact for his team.
Spartans remember the character and play of Sissoko from his four years in East Lansing, dating back to 2020. His best season with the Spartans came back in 2021-22 when he averaged 5.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. He is earning career-highs in both categories this season.
Sissoko had gone through a rough time with the Spartans nearly a year ago when his grandmother had passed away in late January. Michigan State helped him throughout a very tough time, and Sissoko's teammates at Cal are following suit.
We extend our deepest condolences and prayers for Mady and his family as they battle through this difficult time. The Bears will take on North Carolina on Wednesday night on the road. It is still yet to be determined if Sissoko will travel back to his home country or continue to play with the team.
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