Transfers: New faces in new places
GRAND RAPIDS - The Transfer Portal is a big part of college basketball.
It doesn’t exist in high school, though. But that doesn’t mean players don’t switch schools. There are at least 13 Grand Rapids area boys basketball players who will be wearing a new jersey this season.
Northview has three new faces. The Wildcats welcome Parker Swartz and his younger brother Brady, who transferred from Mona Shores. They also got Terrell Jefferson from Middleville. Jefferson, who recently committed to Aquinas College, was the leading scorer for Middleville a year ago as a junior.
“The Swartz boys are brothers but they are different players and personalities,” Northview coach David Chana said. “They help with depth. Having another ballhandler on the team like Terrell is also helpful.”
Parker Swartz, a senior forward, has a huge summer season with the MBA Lakeshore and is drawing attention from Division II schools. Brady Swartz is a sophomore and might already start for Northview.
“I had no idea he was coming until he walked in the door,” Chana said of Jefferson. “I’m like ‘well, this is a good problem to have’. He’s a heck of a kid. He’s tough as nails. He’s a good rebounder for his size.
Wyoming High School lost three players over the summer. Bernie Varnesdeel and Jeremiah Jones are now at West Catholic and Quadir Hatchett is now at Ottawa Hills. Varnesdeel had a monster season for the football team and is already getting football offers. He helped lead the Falcons to a state championship this fall.
Hatchett, one of the more dynamic players in the area, gives Ottawa Hills some scoring punch. Ottawa also got DeNario Paul from Union. He’s a tall, athletic guy.
Wyoming Lee got two new faces. They got junior guard Marc Whitfield from Kelloggsville and Joe Russau, who moved here from Memphis, Tennessee. Whitfield was All-Conference last year and Russau, a senior, is a strong, skilled forward.
J.D. DeGroot, senior - Hamilton from Grand Rapids Angels homeschool
Quadir Hatchett, senior - Ottawa Hills from Wyoming
Isaiah Hamlet, sophomore - GR Catholic Central from Tri-Unity Christian
Jaiden Krynicki, junior - Sparta from West Catholic
Terrell Jefferson, senior - Northview from Middleville
Jeremiah Jones, senior - West Catholic from Wyoming
DeNario Paul, senior - Ottawa Hills from Union
Joe Russau, senior - Lee from Memphis, Tenn.
Parker Swartz, senior - Northview from Mona Shores
Brady Swartz, sophomore - Northview from Mona Shores
Darryl Thompkins Jr, sophomore - East Kentwood from Michigan Collegiate
Bernie Varnesdeel, senior - West Catholic from Wyoming
Marc Whitfield, junior - Lee from Kelloggsville
