Rebels Sign Talented Forward Aliou Cisse
The Essex Rebels are excited to announce the arrival of American forward Aliou Cisse, who joins the club ahead of the 2026/27 British Championship Basketball season.
Cisse, a 6’7 forward, becomes the Rebels’ first official new signing ahead of the upcoming campaign. Most recently, he played for the Merrimack College Warriors, a Division I programme in Massachusetts competing in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).
Before completing his senior season at Merrimack, Cisse played for the Purple Knights at the University of Bridgeport, a Division II programme competing in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC).
It was during his time at Bridgeport that Cisse established himself as one of the conference’s standout players. He finished the 2024/25 season as CACC Player of the Year, scoring 523 points across the campaign and averaging 20.1 points per game.
Cisse’s impressive season also saw him named to the CACC All-Conference First Team, becoming the first Purple Knights player to receive the honour since 2020. He was also named CACC Tournament MVP, playing a key role in helping Bridgeport secure their first-ever CACC Championship after defeating Post University in the title game.
Prior to his time with the Purple Knights, Cisse also enjoyed success at high school level, where he was named MVP at Yonkers High School.
Speaking on his move to Essex, Cisse said:
I’m grateful to be a part of the Rebels family. I’m committed to doing whatever it takes to help us win and compete at a high level
Diana Voynova, Essex Rebels Manager is delighted to welcome Aliou on board:
We’re thrilled to have Aliou join us for the upcoming season. He’s an incredibly talented forward who brings great versatility and athleticism to the team. We’re excited to see the impact he can make for us this season.
The Rebels hope that Cisse can bring his award-winning mentality and formidable scoring ability to the 2026/27 season. Welcome, Aliou!
The Essex Rebels will open the season on 12 September at home where they will take on the Worthing Thunder at 6:30pm at the Essex Sport Arena.
