Recruiting report: (2020) Yussif Basa-Ama
COCONUT CREEK — Yussif Basa-Ama is one of the top juniors in the state.
The 6-foot-9, 197-pound power forward says his goal for this year is hanging a banner in the Boca St. Andrew’s gymnasium.
“This year I’m trying to help the team and St. Andrew’s get a state ring,” Basa-Ama said Monday night while competing in the Fall League at North Broward Prep.
Basa-Ama is an impressive prospect. He runs the floor extremely well, plays very good defense and is a rim-protector, and has a good touch on his shot.
He is the No. 14 prospect in the state of Florida in the Class of 2020, according to PrepHoops.com. Basa-Ama, a native of Ghana who moved to the United States as an eighth-grader, was at Westlake Prep a season ago and has only been playing basketball about three years.
“[Improving my shot] — that’s the one part of my game, you know, that I am still working on,” Basa-Ama said. “I don’t want to be a big who just stays in the post. I want to be able to come out to the free-throw line.”
Basa-Ama has scholarship offers from the University of South Florida, Florida Gulf Coast, Florida Atlantic and Loyola-Marymount in California. He plays on the summer circuit with Team Knight.
“Right now I have a visit I’m taking pretty soon to West Virginia,” Basa-Ama said. “I haven’t found out the date yet. FGCU, I’ve been there to camp twice. But I have been on their campus. I have been on the USF campus. I haven’t been on the LMU campus yet, but I would like to be there soon.”
Veteran coach John O’Connell and St. Andrew’s play in competitive Class 5A. Davie’s University School is the defending 5A state champion.
The Scots have a high-profile, early-season matchup vs. Miami Gulliver Prep in the opening game of the Kreul Showcase on Nov. 30.
Basa-Ama said he is impressed with the progress the team has made from summer to fall.
“Comparing us from during the summer — when we played in the summer in league at Palm Beach State — and then comparing us to now and how we played, we’re beginning to become a team more and more,” he said. “We’re getting to know each other.
“… I can see we’re making a lot of progress and I believe once the season actually starts — and we start practicing a little bit more — the sky is the limit. We’re going to do a lot of damage.”
If you have high school basketball news, you can reach Pat Lammer via e-mail at PatALammer@Gmail.com or via text at 954-661-9671.