Hiiraan Online

Toronto (HOL) - The UConn Huskies, led by Adama Sanogo, have overcome a unique challenge during their run in the NCAA men's basketball tournament this year. Sanogo and his teammates, Samson Johnson and Hassan Diarra, are Muslims who observe Ramadan, which involves fasting from dawn until sunset every day. This year, Ramadan began on March 22 and lasts until April 20, coinciding with the NCAA March Madness tournament.

Fasting during Ramadan involves strict abstinence from food and drink from dawn until sunset every day, which lasts from March 22 to April 20. Since their national semifinal matchup against Miami had a tipoff time of 7:49 p.m., and with the sun setting just 10 minutes before the game, the three players had only a few minutes to consume a snack and some liquids before taking the court. At 7:41 p.m., local time, Sanogo was handed coconut water as the Huskies went through warmup drills. Minutes later, Sanogo ate oranges and watermelons in the locker room before taking the floor.

The team's associate head athletic trainer, James Doran, who was in charge of ensuring the players had what they needed to play basketball while fasting, stated that planning was the key to navigating the situation. He asked the players what they wanted to consume after the fast and made sure that those foods or drinks were available after sundown. Sanogo prefers coconut water and fruit, while Johnson and Diarra choose peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and sports drinks.

Despite the challenges, UConn crushed Miami in the semifinal match and will move on to the championship game against San Diego State on Monday. Adama Sanogo, the team's leading scorer, was in great shape and scored 21 points and 10 rebounds to defeat Miami 72-59 and move one win away from the school's fifth national title.

Sanogo opened up the scoring early after making back-to-back 3-pointers with the defence sagging off him, giving UConn a quick 9-0 lead.

Sanogo, a 6-foot-9 junior from Mali, has been playing through Ramadan for years. "It's definitely hard because, as you say, it's my faith, and this is something I didn't start doing this year," Sanogo said. "I've been doing this since I was in high school. I used to do it during AAU."

UConn coach, Dan Hurley, admitted to feeling panic as he was not experienced in dealing with diet and nutrition. The challenge was even greater when the team played against Gonzaga in Las Vegas the previous Saturday. The early tipoff time meant that the three players could only eat at halftime, leaving them only a few minutes to consume some bananas and sports drinks before returning to the court. The players wake up around 5 a.m. to eat before their daily fast begins and do not consume breakfast food. Diarra stated that the most challenging part of fasting is not being able to drink or hydrate themselves throughout the game or practice.

Sanogo, who is averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per game, has recorded at least one block in all four games in the tournament. All of these performances came on an empty stomach or a speedy dinner. He admitted he was "a little bit tired" against Gonzaga, although he still managed to score 10 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. He poured in 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds against Arkansas. Diarra and Johnson came off the bench in both games. 

"I think I play better when I'm fasting," Sanogo added. "I feel a little bit lighter eating nothing all day, so I'm able to run a bit faster," Sanogo said he initially debated not fasting during the NCAA tournament. However, he looked into Hakeem Olajuwon's fasting in the 1990s while still maintaining his excellent level of play. "That's one of the reasons I'm doing it," he said. "If he did it, why can't I do it? I was thinking about not doing it -- should I do it during the tournament or wait until after the tournament -- he's one of the reasons I did it."

Sangogo and his two Muslim colleagues, Hassan Diarra and Samson Johnson, will have ample opportunity to enjoy a meal ahead of Monday's championship game against the San Diego State Aztecs. Tipoff commences at 8:20 p.m. local time, which is well after sunset.