Bamm Earns JTV Girls Basketball Player of the Year

Columbia Central High School basketball player Zoie Bamm was named as the JTV Girls Basketball Player of the Year for 2022-2023. 

By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports

(March 21, 2023 4:57 PM ET) If there is a rebounding or scoring record at Columbia Central High School, Zoie Bamm’s name is probably on it.

It probably does not matter whether it is a boy or girl basketball record.

She nearly owns them all.

For that reason, the CCHS senior was named the JTV Girls Basketball Player of the Year for 2022-2023. 

Bamm averaged nearly 20 points per game, more than 15 rebounds, one assist, nearly two steals, and three blocked shots for the Golden Eagles this season.

CCHS earned its third consecutive district title with a win over Sand Creek in the district tournament at Reading. 

“It was a very good last year, and I appreciated my teammates and coaches for it,” Bamm said. 

Bamm finished 12 rebounds short of being a 1,000-plus points scorer and a 1,000 rebounder. 

She finished with more than 1,400 points in her four-year career on the varsity level for CCHS. 

Bamm joined an elite group when she scored 22 points in a win against Jonesville  Dec. 2 going over the 1,000-point mark. 

“I knew I only needed 15 points to go over the 1,000 point mark,” Bamm said told the Exponent Newspaper in December of the game.

Before the contest the National Anthem would not cue, so Bamm was encouraged by teammates to sing the National Anthem – something that she regularly does at CCHS. 

“I love to sing … it is something I have done on stage since age 7,” Bamm said. “To me it was easy.”

Bamm has been playing basketball since preschool and has worked her way up the AAU ranks for a number of years. Playing in tournaments all over the country, Bamm has improved each season since starting as a freshman at CCHS.

“You learn how the great players do things and adapt to their styles,” Bamm said in December of playing AAU basketball. “Sometimes you get smoked … but I cherish the competition.”

Bamm was injured prior to her junior season at CCHS – a key season in AAU basketball play. But with a top notch surgeon in Indianapolis, a workout facility at the former Cement City Elementary School building, and a mindset to get back on the court as soon as possible, Bamm only missed one game during her junior season.

She had surgery on both knees during that summer.

“I was back on the floor in five months, Bamm said. “I did a lot of recovery and rehab at Cement City, and it paid off.”

Bamm de-committed from Concordia University and is weighing her options now. She would like to study to become a dental hygienist. 

But Bamm also has talent in the music industry. She made it to the third level on The Voice at age 14 – one step away from being on a live television broadcast. She has also sent recordings to American Idol and America’s Got Talent.

“I do my singing when I can,” Bamm said. “Basketball always seems to get in the way.”

Bamm also plays volleyball and competes in track and field at CCHS.

“Sports teaches you to find your open space and connect with other people in a different way than school,” Bamm said in December. “I love the discipline and motivation you learn from athletics.”

Bamm expects to graduate from CCHS with high academic honors this spring.

The remainder of the Top 5

Maddux Overweg, junior, Springport – Averaged 18.2 points, 6.assists, 6.6 steals, and 3.6 rebounds per game. The point guard led the Spartans to a district title. She finished second in the voting for JTV Player of the Year.

Mara Mitchell, junior, Northwest – Averaged 17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 steals per game for the Mounties. The junior led Northwest to an Interstate-8 Conference title this season. Mitchell finished third in the voting for JTV Player of the Year. 

Kate Starkey, sophomore, Grass Lake – Averaged 19.4 points, 2 assists, 2.3 steals, and 2 rebounds per game for the Warriors. Starkey led the Warriors to district and conference titles and was fourth in the voting for JTV Player of the Year.

Maggie Hollowood, senior, Jackson Christian – Averaged 16.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.6 steals, and 1.5 assists per game for the Royals. Hollowood led the Royals to a 16-win season. She won the fans’ poll with the most votes for JTV Player of the Year. 

Other nominees

Ashley Weller, junior, Northwest – Averaged 16 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals per game for Northwest.  

Julie Reynolds, junior, Michigan Center – Averaged 13.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.9 steals, and 2.1 assists per game for the Cardinals. 

Layne Sleight, senior, Northwest – Averaged 12.9 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists per game for the Mounties. 

Brenna Crittenden, junior, Springport – Average 9.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3.5 steals per game. 

Rylee Siefert, junior, Springport – Averaged 8.2 points, 9 rebounds, and 1.5steals per game. 

Karson Fairbanks, senior, Napoleon, averaged 8 points per game and 5.5 rebounds, and was second in assists for the Pirates. 

Keiyera Johnson, senior, Jackson –  Averaged 7 points, 2 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game for the Vikings. 

Kulayjah Weller, senior,  Jackson High School – Averaged 6 points and 4 rebounds per game for Jackson. 

Thank you to the nearly 6,000 basketball fans who voted in our JTV Girls Basketball Player of the Year poll.