Boys’ basketball: Khalil Bedart-Ghani is growing and improving

Three years ago, Khalil Bedart-Ghani of Loyola was a 5-foot-4 freshman who barely came up to the chest of Coach Jamal Adams. On Thursday, during a basketball practice session attended by assistant coaches from Stanford and California, Bedart-Ghani was almost looking eye to eye with the 6-5 Adams.

He has grown to 6-3 on his way to 6-4 or taller. His athletic skills keep getting better. And the big winner could be Yale, the school he committed to months ago.

“He’s an absolute steal,” Adams said.

Bedart-Ghani received attention during the summer with his dunk over Mater Dei center MJ Cage (see video above). But it’s not dunking that Bedart-Ghani will be known for. He’s developing into an all-around player, being able to dribble, shoot and play defense.

Adams calls him “one of our most improved players ever.”

While the college recruiters were at Loyola Thursday watching undecided 7-foot center Thomas Welsh, Bedart-Ghani was providing plenty of evidence that he’s going to be a senior to watch this coming season.

[email protected]