Over the past few years, the University of Santa Clara has served as a dark horse program in terms of player development. Jalen Williams and Brandin Podziemski found themselves flying up draft boards and earning meaningful NBA minutes. Heading into 2024-25 a new Bronco will quietly contend for the top player in the West Coast Conference. Adama-Alpha Bal joined coach Herb Sendek’s squad after two underwhelming seasons at Arizona. The move worked beautifully for Bal who earned First Team All-WCC Honors, averaged 14.4 points a game, and recorded nine 20-plus point outings. At six-foot-seven with close to a seven-foot wingspan, Bal screams NBA upside. Now, with a very talented roster behind him, the native of Le Mans, France has the chance to lead Santa Clara back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in over 25 years.
West Coast Conference Player Spotlight: Adam-Alpha Bal
Adama-Alpha Bal by the Numbers
From a purely physical toolset, Bal could be the best pro prospect in the WCC. Combining length, size and guard skills, he has the prototypical build for modern wings. For the 2023-24 season, he ranked seventh in the conference in total points, ninth in assists per game, and was a premier free throw shooter with the third best percentage from the line. He was relatively effective in the basic statistical categories as far as guards go as his nightly contributions were 3.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists. Still, with his athleticism and size, those numbers will likely need to improve if he wants to take the next step.
The most important development for Bal was the growth of his three-point shot. Not only will it be critical to his future as a potential NBA prospect, but it forced defenses to respect him at all three levels. On 4.9 attempts per game, he converted at a 35.4% clip. While not elite, if that number can climb to the 38% range on similar if not more volume, he will start to raise some eyebrows. Bal hit at least two threes in 15 games, and the Broncos went on to win 11 of those contests.
Best the Broncos Have to Offer
As it stands, Bal’s offense is ahead of his defense. While not elite in any one facet, he was most dangerous in transition. Flying up the court was a hallmark of Bal’s game. When attacking the basket on the break, he converted over 80% of his shots at the rim. He was just as good from three when on the run with a 50% success rate from deep when in transition.
An element of his offensive game that often went unheralded was his ability to draw fouls. He earned 101 trips to the charity stripe, only four less than Gonzaga star big Graham Ike. Once he got there, he converted at a stellar 82.1%. On eight separate occasions, he earned at least six free throws, and in three games, he reached double figures in free throw attempts.
Lastly, his playmaking was also a positive development on the year. Bal’s 18.3% assist percentage fell just outside the top 10 for the entire WCC. Yet, amongst wings he ranked second and often rose to the occasion as a playmaker against strong opponents with that percentage increasing to just north of 23% against the Broncos top competition. Bal is always going to look to put the ball in the bucket, but when he is creating for those around him, it leads to an even deadlier offensive team.
Lingering Questions
The first and most pressing question surrounding Bal has less to do with his basketball ability and more to do with his consistency. Santa Clara fans have seen the optimal production for Bal. Be it his 25 points on 71% shooting against Oregon, or his 18 point, four rebound game against a very talented Utah State squad, there is no doubt the skills are there. Can he put them on display night in and night out?
Against the top tier of the WCC which includes Saint Mary’s, Gonzaga and San Francisco, the results fluctuated. In six matchups against the aforementioned teams, Bal averaged 9.8 points, three turnovers, and shot 29.6% from the floor. He also failed to reach three assists in four of those games as well. Bal can torch the Portland and Pacific caliber teams, but he has to be able to face down the best of the best for Santa Clara to reach their peak.
The next concern comes on the defensive side of the ball. When looking at the top Santa Clara wings to come before, Williams and Podziemski were competitors on the defensive end. They often took the challenge of guarding the other team’s best players and didn’t hesitate to lay out for a loose ball. Bal should be a good defender, especially in the WCC. Unfortunately, he was unspectacular. He didn’t generate blocks or steals with any consistency. On paper, he should be a force in disrupting passing lanes but posted less than a steal per game. His lateral quickness doesn’t jump off the page and he recorded just six blocks on the year. In the end, he was 30th in the entire WCC when it comes to defensive rating.
The Last Word
Adama-Alpha Bal has the look of a WCC Player of the Year dark horse. On any given night, he could score over 20 points. His physical traits should catch the attention of coaches and scouts in regards to his future as a professional basketball player. There were plenty of bright moments last year, but he also oddly disappeared at inopportune times. If he can put together a complete, consistent season, another All-Conference nod seems like a lock. The Broncos will play a solid non-conference schedule featuring Saint Louis University, Arizona State, and Nevada just to name a few. Those games should all give Bal the opportunity to showcase the next evolution in his game.
