Bassa grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah and attended Kearns High School, where he lettered in football, basketball and track and field. Coming out of high school, Bassa held offers from schools such as Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Hawai’i, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oregon, Oregon State, Syracuse, UNLV, Utah State and Washington State.[2] He committed to play college football for the Oregon Ducks.[3]
College career
In Bassa's first two seasons in 2021 and 2022, he notched 110 tackles with seven and a half being for a loss, three sacks, a pass deflections, and two interceptions.[4] In the final minutes of Oregon's week two matchup, he intercepted a pass which he returned 45 yards for a touchdown, as he helped the Ducks beat Texas Tech.[5] In the 2024 Fiesta Bowl, Bassa led the Ducks with eight tackles while also adding one for a loss, as he helped Oregon beat Liberty.[6] He was named the game's defensive MVP.[7] During the 2023 season, Bassa amassed 71 tackles with three and a half being for a loss, a pass deflection, an interception, and a touchdown,[8] earning second-team all-Pac-12 Conference honors.[9]
