Bassel Bawji (Baze-Sull Bah-Gee) is a basketball prospect playing in the United States. Bassel was born in Beirut, Lebanon and has represented Lebanon on their under-18 National Team. He is a 6-7, 225lb power forward that plays a physical game at a level rarely seen in the high school ranks. Even with his fearlessness in the paint, Bawji can still step out and hit three-pointers.
Bassel Bawji played for the Klein Collins Tigers in Houston, Texas and averaged 12 points and 10.5 rebounds during his senior season, while shooting 52% from the field and 40% from outside the arc. His numbers aren’t mind blowing, but averaging a double-double on any level takes something special. Bassel’s high school head coach, Tim Schumacher, would agree “In all my years of coaching on the high school level I’ve never had a kid before average a double-double”
Bassel has signed a letter of intent with an American college, Tulsa University (NCAA Division I) and will begin play for the Golden Hurricanes for the 2008-09 season. Bawji selected Tulsa over Seton Hall, Winthrop, and Loyola-Marymount because of it’s academics and overall atmosphere.
“He can shoot the ball facing up from the 3 and he has good skills for a bigger guy,” Schumacher said. “His best attribute is his toughness and ability to rebound. Put that with his European touch, that’s his strength.“
Tulsa’s head coach Doug Wojcik discovered Bawji after he had a 14-point, 18-rebound performance at an all-star game. “Bassel was the leading rebounder in that game featuring the best players in the Houston-area.” said Woljcik, who first heard about Bawji through Golden Hurricane guard Joey Kieval’s grandfather, who had coached Bawji in that local All-Star game in Houston.
“He really pursues the ball,” Wojcik continued. “If a kid plays really hard, that’s a skill in itself to me. Throw in his IQ for the game and it’s a great combination.”
With his varied skills being played up, the coaches were most impressed by Bawji’s rebounding instincts.
“Bassel’s strength is his rebounding. Although he has the ability to shoot the three, can score in the low post and has good ball-handling skills on the perimeter, being able to go get a rebound is his strength,” Shumacher said, “He received a lot of attention from recruiters late, and they all commented what great ability he had for rebounding the basketball. Bassel has a certain toughness and mean streak that every coach loves to have on a team.”
Bassel joined the lebanese senior NT preparations after he leaves NCAA(TUSLA DIV 1)
No comments:
Post a Comment