Bassa grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah and attended Kearns High School, where he lettered in football, basketball and track and field. As a senior, he totaled 222 offensive yards and 35 tackles.[2] 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.[3] He committed to play college football for the Oregon Ducks.[4]
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.[5] 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.[6] 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.[7] He was named the game's defensive MVP.[8] 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,[9] earning second-team all-Pac-12 Conference honors.[10]
