by Charles Hallman
Although Badou Ba has just recently started playing organised basketball, the Dakar, Senegal native has quietly and effectively established himself in MIAC men’s basketball.
The 6′ 7″ Macalester forward has twice this season been named the league’s defensive player of the week, most recently on November 28 after contributing three blocks and eight rebounds to the Scots’ 77-76 away victory over Saint Mary’s. Ba added a another 14 points, tying his previous high. In the victory, he grabbed six of his eight rebounds on the defensive glass.
After the game, Macalester HC Abe Woldeslassie told us, “We feel he’s the strongest, most physical big in our league.” Woldeslassie has bragged about Ba ever since we first saw him at a preseason practise a year ago, and the forward has steadily improved as a result.
He’s only been playing basketball for four years, the coach pointed out. “You can nearly watch the development week to week.”
The quiet Ba gives the coaching staff of the Scots credit for their confidence in him. After his career-best performance against the visiting Augsburg, he commented, “I guess I’ve watched so much film with my coaching staff that I really wanted to [better].” “The rest will come if I put my all into this and concentrate.”
Ba, the son of a professional diplomat, grew up around the globe with his mother. He remembered, “I met a lot of people. I simply try to do my best while listening to everyone.
Ba later relocated to the United States and enrolled in the residential school Williston Northampton (Mass.) for grades 7 through 12. One of the 35 sports the school offered was basketball, which he played.
Ba is a political science and economics student at Macalester. After graduating in a few years, he acknowledges that he is not quite certain of where that will take him. “I really really want to travel and explore discovering new places. I consider myself fortunate to be here.
We are incredibly fortunate to have him here, according to Woldeslassie of Ba. He needs to be a little more aggressive on both ends, as we’ve discussed. The coach swiftly clarified, though, that it is impossible to discount the player’s ongoing improvement.
In the beginning of last year, Woldeslassie recalled, “he really didn’t play all that much, and then towards the end of the year, he was playing double-digit minutes nearly every game.” He is an excellent shot blocker, defender, and rebounder with the potential to improve. The offensive spirit, offensive physicality, and confidence were his following moves.
We enjoy seeing Ba assert himself on the court. Although he is still only scratching the surface, he is demonstrating to everyone that he has what it takes to not only be one of the most dominant players in the MIAC this year but throughout the duration of his time at Macalester.
I’ve experienced both good and bad days since I’ve been here, Ba said. Yet, every coach, the seniors, and certain alumni have consistently supported me. I simply keep working and give it my all.