Jake Vermaas’ drive to win fuels South Christian basketball

Jake Vermaas sets up a play during a game against Grand Rapids Catholic Central on Feb. 21, 2023. He had 22 points in the game. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

BYRON CENTER, Mich. - Jake Vermaas was a little 3rd grader running around in the stands at Ford Field the year Grand Rapids South Christian won the Division 4 football state title in 2014. 

His hero was the quarterback of that team, Jon Wassink, who was a basketball and football star at South. 

Now Vermaas, a junior at South Christian, is following in Wassink’s footsteps.

“He was a dawg on the field and on the basketball court,” Vermaas recalled. “He was a great role model. Not only as an athlete, but as a person. I’ve connected with him a few times since I got into high school. He’s such a good guy. He’s someone I look up to.” 

Vermaas also won a state championship in football, as the Sailors went 14-0 last fall. Now he has the chance to do something Wassink never did: Win a basketball championship, too.

Jake Vermaas (0) huddles up with his team before a Regional final game on March 13, 2023. (Photo | Lenny Padilla)

The 6-foot-2, 175-pound Vermaas is the starting point guard on a team that is 23-3 this season and will play in at Division 2 state quarterfinal on Tuesday at Calvin University against Hudsonville Unity Christian. 

“He’s probably the most competitive kid that I’ve coached in a long time,” South Christian basketball coach Taylor Johnson said. “And his stamina is unbelievable. It seems like he never gets tired. He’s got one speed and that’s pushing it all the way.”

He’s also starting to score more. Vermaas is averaging 12 points, 6 rebounds and 4.4 assists. 

But his biggest scoring games have been in the biggest games. In two games against Grand Rapids Catholic Central, he had 19 points and 22 points. He had a career-high 28 points in their last game to beat Hamilton in the regional championship game when he had a stunning 19 points in the third quarter.

“Last year, all I wanted to do was score,” Vermaas said. “This year, I’ve had that pass-first mentality and trying to get our team into a set to get us going. That’s opened up more options for me to score. And the plays that Coach Johnson runs, it really suits my skillset.”

South Christian’s Jake Vermaas shoots a 3-pointer against Niles in a Division 2 Regional final game on March 13, 2023. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

Johnson said Vermaas plays with so much emotion that he still makes mistakes. But not as much as he had early in the season.

“He’s probably on the Russell Westbrook spectrum of point guards, from the standpoint of how he plays,” Johnson said of the dynamic NBA point guard. “He’ll still make some careless mistakes, but his growth has been unbelievable. He’s super clutch and he’s one of the best rebounding guards in the area.”

What makes Vermaas so good?

“His drive,” teammate Carson Vis said. “He just wants it. He wants to get that bucket or that rebound. He wants to see our team win so bad. He’s scored more (lately). He’s been able to put the ball in the basket in different ways.”

Jake Vermaas, left, poses with his Grand Rapids Storm teammates Luke Bakker, center and Carter Meerman during a tournament in Lansing in 2022. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

Vermaas said it helps playing elite competition with his travel ball team, the Grand Rapids Storm.

“I want to play against the best to prove myself that I belong there,” he said. “Coach (Jason) Martin … I’m super excited to play with him this year. I think we’re gonna have a really good year with the guys that we have.”

Vermaas said he probably got his athleticism from his dad, Tony Vermaas, who was a three-sport athlete at Unity Christian.

“He was very athletic,” Jake said. “He played basketball, soccer and baseball.”

Jake’s parents, Tony and Maria Vermaas, rarely miss a game. 

“It means a ton when you see both of your parents at every single one of your games cheering you on no matter what,” Vermaas said. “Even both sets of my grandparents are at every single game. Not many people have that. It’s really special. They are always waiting for me after the game to give me a hug. The support I have is unreal. That makes me want to play even harder.”

South Christian’s Jake Vermaas (2) helps teammate Jake DeHaan stretch before a football game against Grand Rapids Christian on Aug. 26, 2022. (Photo | Lenny Padilla)

When it comes to potentially playing a sport in college, Vermaas is torn. He loves basketball and football, but a recent development might sway him to lean toward football.

“I had a good (football) season, but It didn’t help that I got hurt,” said Vermaas, who missed seven football games with a broken collarbone. “So my numbers didn’t match up with some of the top guys. Then I went to a (Kalamazoo) Legacy camp (in February) and I won the MVP as the top wide receiver. That made me think ‘maybe I am kinda good and I should look into playing in college.’”

Vermaas returned to the football field for the postseason run. In the Division 2 state title game, he caught seven passes for 152 yards and had a pick-6 for a touchdown. 

“I’m keeping my options open for both football and basketball,” he said. “I can see a future in both. I’m exited for the recruiting process and working hard. I think my ceiling is higher for football.”

Jake Vermaas (0) jokes around with teammate Jake DeHaan (3) during the South Christian media day in November, 2022. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

The South Christian basketball team, which has won 14 games in a row, has a pretty strong bond.

“Our whole team is really close,” Johnson said. “Many of them played football and basketball together. This has been a great group. We do a lot of things outside of the gym. Being a close-knit group is huge.”

Johnson said the deeper the team goes, the more they rely on Vermaas.

“The bigger the game, the bigger the moment for some guys,” Johnson said. “I think that’s the case with Jake. I like the game to come to him. When he tries to force things, it doesn’t always go well. But when he lets things happen, he rises up in the big moments. He’s a clutch player.”

Back in November, when he and his football teammates were still sore from a 14-game football season, Vermaas was asked if his team wants to win a basketball title, too.

“Oh for sure,” he said. “After winning in football, being a competitive athlete, it makes you want to go win another title (in basketball),” Vermaas said. “Now that football is done, we’re focused on basketball.”

South Christian is only three wins from making that a reality.

Jake Vermaas reacts after a big play in the third quarter of the Division 2 Regional final game against Hamilton on March 15, 2023. He scored 19 points in the third quarter and finished with a career-high 28. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).