Mohamed Bazzi graduates high school as a scoring leader on the basketball team.

LIVONIA — Mohamed Bazzi, 17, a  graduate of Star International Academy in Dearborn Heights, will be attending Madonna University this fall on a basketball scholarship.

While at Star, Bazzi had become a renowned basketball player. In his freshman year, he had been one of the top performers in his graduating class throughout the entire state.

Bazzi was already getting recognition from schools like the University of Michigan and Michigan State, which expressed interest in offering him full-ride scholarships.

But in his sophomore year, he suffered an injury that resulted in him tearing his ACL. He took a year off from playing basketball to recover from his surgery.

When he returned to the court in his junior year, he was quickly back to his routine. Bazzi scored an average of 31 points per game. In his senior year, he averaged 33 points per game.

But he noticed recruitment had gotten quieter. Division 1 schools were no longer expressing interest in him.

“They labeled me injury-prone,” Bazzi said. “Mentally, it really affected me. I was scared every time I got on the court that I would get hurt or tear my other knee.”

But when Madonna University, a Division II school, came knocking on his door, Bazzi said he felt a sense of relief.

He only knows of one other Arab student who attended the school on a basketball scholarship.

And as the only Arab and Muslim on the university team, Bazzi said he was surprised to see how much his teammates and coaches have been receptive to him. During Ramadan, practices were held in the late evening to accommodate his fasting schedule.

“My team respects that I am Muslim,” Bazzi said. “They understand the discrimination I go through. They are constantly asking me questions about my religion. They embrace it and love it. When we go out to eat, they make sure it’s a place with vegetarian and halal food options.”

At Madonna University, he will be majoring in biology while playing for the basketball team. On top of his studies, he is also committed to staying in top shape— working out three times a day for fives days a week, while living on campus.

He noted that if he doesn’t receive further opportunities playing basketball, he would be interested in becoming an orthopedic surgeon, referring back to his sophomore year in high school when he tore his ACL.

“When I tore my ACL, I had to go to an orthopedic surgeon,” Bazzi said. “The feeling he gave me when he repaired my knee is a feeling I would like to give to other people.”

Bazzi advises local youth in the community to pursue a passion in high school and take advantage of scholarship opportunities that come along the way. He is relieved that he and his parents don’t have to go through the burden of paying off a college tuition.

“Don’t build that wall in your mind the says, ‘I’m Arab and can’t do it,'” Bazzi said. “Yes, there’s discrimination out there, but coaches look for people who can play. If you can play the game and stay focused and are willing to sacrifice fun so you can succeed in something, it’s possible. Now that I’m at this point, I can take a step back and say it paid off.”