Over the course of his senior season, Baysah’s improved shot selection and the added range on his jumper made him a more dangerous playmaker. He picked the right spots to score at the times to score, while also being more than content to play with pace as a facilitator, without taking plays off on defense. So it was his development from the neck up that made the difference in his team’s run to a championship.

The Wildcats started off slow, but Baysah gave the team a spark with his athleticism on-ball, defensively, and on the offensive glass. Next, he got them in-rhythm going into halftime by moving the defense with his dribble-drives and pinpoint passes. Baysah continued on with his disruptive defense, but, on offense, he took the game into his own hands. The shifty senior guard got north-and-south off the bounce, carving his way into the heart of the defense, then shooting over SG’s rim protectors. In the end, Baysah secured the win for his team with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists, and 4 steals.

A dynamic ball-handler, Baysah snatched a couple ankles off-the-dribble. But that was a close second to the plays he made for others. As soon as he got a step on his man and drew an extra defender, he threw darts to whoever was left open, whether it was a kick to the strong side corner or hook like Awahmukalah popping off of a screen. But after a rough patch in the third quarter, Baysah started changing up his pace on drives and hitting his man Henderson-Conkey on cuts to seal the deal. The unsigned senior finished with 7 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals.

Howard’s leading scorer on the year, Baysah took a slight back seat in that department but was impactful nonetheless as a dynamic playmaker off the dribble. He knocked down a corner 3 to open the game, showing a confident and compact southpaw stroke, before shifting into facilitation mode as Howard established an insurmountable lead. Baysah was efficient getting to his spots off the bounce, consistently making one move and blowing by his man before making the smart, simple pass on time and on target. He was scrappy in the floor game with flashes of dynamic athleticism to help make up for his smaller stature. Baysah is a small-college dream who could sneak up to the scholarship level with further exposure.

The Wildcats point guard put the peddle to the metal all game long. After a drive-and-kick to get the offense flowing, Baysah brought even more intensity as a shot creator while constantly hounding the point of attack on defense. He sliced and barrelled his way to the hoop, finding the right mix of power and fitness to generate advantages, and drew fouls in the process (6-8 FT). For his counter, Baysah went into his bag for mid-range jumpers, hitting two. And through his efforts, he was able to pace his team with 20 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and a block.

Pound-for-pound the best athlete in the state, Baysah has a filthy handle and the playmaking instincts to go along with his bounce. In addition to not being afraid of contact, his speed-to-power twitch gives other people issues on O&D. Defenses have difficulties keeping Baysah out of the paint; so I’d like to see him play off of two feet more once he gets there.