The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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AUGUST 2019 THE WOLVERINE 27 prep coaches asked him point blank what they could do to help and what his dream school would be. A former Grand Haven native from Michigan's west side, Bajema cited U-M as the program he'd most like to impress. His coaches contacted Beilein, and Bajema made it to Ann Arbor for one of U-M's summer camps, where the then-rising senior tore it up and put himself on Beilein's map. It wasn't until late summer, how- ever, that Bajema finally earned his offer. His AAU team faced a powerful Howard Pulley squad out of Minne- sota and promptly fell behind by a lot. "We started off the game pretty bad, 24-4 or something like that," Bajema recalled with a laugh. "We went to the team huddle after a timeout and said, 'We have to get our stuff together.' "We fought back and still lost, but we gave it a good run. I thought I played pretty well that game." So did Beilein. He watched Bajema rip off about 18 points in a row for his team to make the game competitive. He offered a few days later, and Ba- jema jumped on it. One game had determined his short-term destiny. "That was probably one of my bet- ter AAU games for the summer," he said. "The team needed a boost. I committed pretty dang close to that day Coach Beilein offered." That despite Washington, Virginia, Oregon, Oregon State, Arizona and others throwing a hat in the ring. Bajema has hit the ground running in Ann Arbor, working with strength coach Jon Sanderson to add weight and muscle. Even the open gyms have been eye opening, he said, and adjusting to the level of competition has been tough. "That's one thing I've noticed from high school to college," he said. "People were competitive in high school, but it's another level of competition here in college. They get after it, which I love, and we get after each other. It's fun. I like it." He has work to do, especially in the weight room, to be a contribu- tor this fall and winter. He needs to improve his strength to be able to take some hits in Big Ten play, but he is confident his game will translate when he does. "A lot of people label me as just a shooter. I think of myself as a little more than that," he said. "I can come off ball screens, I feel like I'm an un- derrated passer, and I can do a little scoring off the dribble. I'm kind of an all-around game guy rather than just a shooter." It's something the first-team USA Today All-State player plans to prove wearing the maize and blue. ❏ Bajema "A lot of people label me as just a shooter. I think of myself as a little more than that. I can come off ball screens, I feel like I'm an underrated passer and I can do a little scoring off the dribble. I'm kind of an all-around game guy rather than just a shooter." Rivals rates Bajema as a four-star talent, and the No. 24 small forward and No. 98 overall prospect in the nation. PHOTO COURTESY LYNDEN TRIBUNE