Jaden De Boer Settling In At Valley Christian

Story by Cassie Campise 

Valley Christian senior Jaden De Boer is making the most of his final season coming from Lynden Christian Highschool in Washington.

The De Boer family made the decision to move from the northwest after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools and there was uncertainty of when they would return. De Boer’s father has an apparel company for high school sports, so it was tough getting business. 

“One of the benefits of coming down here was getting a basketball season,” De Boer said. 

De Boer has been a playmaker for Valley Christian this year. The eighth-ranked Trojans are 14-0 overall and 8-0 in the 3A Metro West. He is the team’s leading scorer, averaging 22.6 points per contest. His favorite game of the season so far has been against Eastmark when he scored 34 points in just three quarters. 

On the court, De Boer loves how unselfish and defensively sound his new team has been. 

“We are always making an extra pass, throwing it up the court, and getting the best shot we possibly can,” De Boer said. 

It can be challenging moving schools the last year of high school, but De Boer feels like he has adjusted well. The new team at Valley Christian has been accepting, even with a group of 10 seniors already. Furthermore, he has embraced his time playing for head coach Greg Haagsma. 

“Obviously he has got a lot of success,” De Boer said. “He’s got 37 years under his belt or however long it’s been and a couple of state championships. I think it’s been fun. He’s been really good to me.”

For Haagsma, he sees De Boer as a leader and great teammate that makes sure everyone is included. He has been a great addition. 

“To add a great shooter to that was a blessing, certainly to our team,” Haagsma said. “He’s a very savvy ball player who understands the game very well.”

Heading into the state tournament, Haagsma has emphasized how his team needs to put themselves in a good position by focusing on the game in front of them and each individual opponent. For De Boer, he can help by improving defensively and continuing to be a leader for Valley Christian basketball, even if he has just arrived on campus. 

Another benefit for De Boer playing in Arizona is having more exposure to get to the next level. His future is bright. 

“There’s no question he has a chance to play at the next level,” Haagsma said. “Every single team needs shooters. The object of the game is to score points and he’s a basket getter, and if you look around the NBA and in college basketball, there’s a lot of teams that just flat out can fill it and that’s what Jaden can fill for a lot of teams.”