BASIC can perfectly well have named user-defined functions. Some BASICs had them, and at some point in time, all BASICs started to have them. If you want to

BASIC can perfectly well have named user-defined functions. Some BASICs had them, and at some point in time, all BASICs started to have them. If you want to use BASIC to teach newbie programmers, use one which has them.