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HILLSDALE — It's not unique to hear of basketball phenom recruits early in their middle school or AAU careers. Across the country, a polarizing phenomenon takes place where athletes who will not graduate from their respective high schools until 2030 are being talked about amongst the top recruits in the country. It won't be hard to find recruits scouted for even later classes in the 2030s.
However, it is rare to see such athletes gain varsity experience, let alone become one of the top players in the state at their level, before they even reach their freshman year of high school.
When Hillsdale Academy tipped off its varsity boys basketball season this winter, one of its starters had not yet entered high school.
Jackson Huffman, a 6-foot-7 eighth-grade center, bypassed the traditional junior varsity path and stepped directly into the Colts’ varsity lineup. By the end of the season, the Class of 2030 standout had become one of Hillsdale Academy’s most productive players while helping guide the program to one of its best seasons in nearly a decade.
The Colts — led by coach Dustin Scharer — finished 22-3 overall, capturing the MHSAA Division 4 District 119 championship before falling in the regional semifinals to Concord. Hillsdale Academy’s 16-game winning streak stretched from early January through the district tournament and marked the program’s longest surge since its 2017-18 state semifinal run.
For Huffman, the season was the culmination of years spent developing his game through youth and AAU basketball tournaments like the Storm Classic in Grand Rapids, where several scouts had already pointed out the future Class of 2030 recruit as an athlete to watch.
More: How Hillsdale's Allison Kuzma of Zeeland won NCAA D-II title in 5K
“I’ve been playing basketball since I was little,” Huffman said. “Middle school, AAU — I’ve played AAU all around the country. It’s really fun playing with these guys and winning the district championship. It’s been awesome.”
Despite being the youngest player on the roster, Huffman quickly emerged as one of Hillsdale Academy’s most reliable contributors and top scorer, rebounder for the season.
At 6-foot-7 with a rapidly developing skill set, Huffman already projects as a modern interior player who can influence the game in multiple ways. While his size naturally makes him a force on the glass and around the rim, his court vision and ball-handling ability set him apart from most young post players.
Across 22 games, he led the team with 16.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 66.8 percent from the field.
He finished the season with 355 points, 227 rebounds, 76 assists, 55 steals and 37 blocks while logging more than 450 minutes on the floor.
Huffman shot 70.2-percent from the field and 35-percent from 3-point range. He also averaged 1.7 blocks per game, numbers that earned him first team all-conference SCAA and a spot on the five-player SCAA Dream Team, one of the only eighth graders, and potentially the first, to achieve such status.
He will likely be in consideration for all-state honors in his eighth-grade year, and his dominant performances would easily explain why he may achieve such status.
His most eye-opening effort came in a road game at Mendon, where he recorded 35 points, 30 rebounds, five blocks and five assists. The 30-rebound total may have set an unofficial single-game school record, according to Hillsdale Academy.
Other notable outings included 29 points and 10 rebounds against Hillsdale during the Pat Paterson tournament, 24 points and 20 rebounds at St. Philip, and 20 points and 14 rebounds in a home game against Waldron.
He also showcased his passing ability with eight assists in a game at Pittsford, demonstrating a skill set rarely seen from a young post player. He posted eight assists alongside 17 points and 10 rebounds — just two assists shy of a triple-double effort.
Colts head coach Dustin Scharer said Huffman’s basketball maturity helped make the unusual varsity leap possible.
“It all starts with how much basketball he’s played,” Scharer said. “He came to us as a very mature basketball player for an eighth grader, and he’s a mature young kid.”
Scharer described Huffman as a complete player who impacts games in ways that extend beyond scoring.
“He’s team first,” Scharer said. “He could score a lot more if he wanted to, but he does the dirty work. He blocks shots inside, rebounds and makes the right plays.”
One of the traits that stands out most to the Colts’ coaching staff is Huffman’s decision-making.
“There aren’t many eighth-grade big men who can grab a defensive rebound and lead the break,” Scharer said. “And when he does it, he’s not trying to force a shot. He’s finding open teammates and making good decisions.
“For an eighth grader to make the decisions he makes with the ball is really impressive. It just speaks to the type of kid he is and his maturity.”
Huffman said the possibility of playing varsity began to take shape after his previous season and through summer basketball.
“After last season, I kind of knew I might move up to JV or varsity,” Huffman said. “It really started during summer basketball, and then we just kept getting better throughout the year.”
That improvement was evident as Hillsdale Academy surged through the second half of the season.
The Colts dominated district play, defeating opponents by a combined score of 137-71 while extending their winning streak to two months.
Huffman also delivered in the postseason, finishing with 48 points to lead Hillsdale Academy in playoff scoring.
Scharer said the team’s senior class also played a critical role in allowing younger players like Huffman to thrive.
“That can be difficult sometimes when younger players step into big roles,” Scharer said. “But our seniors have been tremendous. They’ve accepted their roles and brought the younger guys along. It’s never been seniors versus underclassmen. Those guys have really welcomed them and helped them grow.”
Huffman’s athletic background also comes from a sports-oriented household.
His mother, Katherine Huffman, serves as the varsity volleyball coach at Hillsdale Academy, and Huffman said both of his parents help him continue to improve his game away from the court.
“My mom and my dad give me tips off the court,” Huffman said.
He also credited the Colts’ coaching staff — Scharer and assistant coach Adam Malcheff — for guiding the team through the season.
Despite already playing a major role on a district championship team, Huffman’s high school career has barely begun.
For the young center, the long-term goal remains simple.
“I want to win a state championship one year,” Huffman said. “That’s my goal.”
With four full seasons of high school basketball still ahead, Huffman’s early varsity experience could position him as a cornerstone of Hillsdale Academy’s future tournament runs and a potential standout recruit who will likely make appearances on the annual all-state lists across Michigan until his graduation date of 2030.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Hillsdale area basketball player stars as eighth grader on varsity
Continue reading...
However, it is rare to see such athletes gain varsity experience, let alone become one of the top players in the state at their level, before they even reach their freshman year of high school.
When Hillsdale Academy tipped off its varsity boys basketball season this winter, one of its starters had not yet entered high school.
Jackson Huffman, a 6-foot-7 eighth-grade center, bypassed the traditional junior varsity path and stepped directly into the Colts’ varsity lineup. By the end of the season, the Class of 2030 standout had become one of Hillsdale Academy’s most productive players while helping guide the program to one of its best seasons in nearly a decade.
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Just the beginning
The Colts — led by coach Dustin Scharer — finished 22-3 overall, capturing the MHSAA Division 4 District 119 championship before falling in the regional semifinals to Concord. Hillsdale Academy’s 16-game winning streak stretched from early January through the district tournament and marked the program’s longest surge since its 2017-18 state semifinal run.
For Huffman, the season was the culmination of years spent developing his game through youth and AAU basketball tournaments like the Storm Classic in Grand Rapids, where several scouts had already pointed out the future Class of 2030 recruit as an athlete to watch.
More: How Hillsdale's Allison Kuzma of Zeeland won NCAA D-II title in 5K
“I’ve been playing basketball since I was little,” Huffman said. “Middle school, AAU — I’ve played AAU all around the country. It’s really fun playing with these guys and winning the district championship. It’s been awesome.”
Immediate varsity impact
Despite being the youngest player on the roster, Huffman quickly emerged as one of Hillsdale Academy’s most reliable contributors and top scorer, rebounder for the season.
At 6-foot-7 with a rapidly developing skill set, Huffman already projects as a modern interior player who can influence the game in multiple ways. While his size naturally makes him a force on the glass and around the rim, his court vision and ball-handling ability set him apart from most young post players.
Across 22 games, he led the team with 16.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 66.8 percent from the field.
He finished the season with 355 points, 227 rebounds, 76 assists, 55 steals and 37 blocks while logging more than 450 minutes on the floor.
Huffman shot 70.2-percent from the field and 35-percent from 3-point range. He also averaged 1.7 blocks per game, numbers that earned him first team all-conference SCAA and a spot on the five-player SCAA Dream Team, one of the only eighth graders, and potentially the first, to achieve such status.
He will likely be in consideration for all-state honors in his eighth-grade year, and his dominant performances would easily explain why he may achieve such status.
Dominant performances
His most eye-opening effort came in a road game at Mendon, where he recorded 35 points, 30 rebounds, five blocks and five assists. The 30-rebound total may have set an unofficial single-game school record, according to Hillsdale Academy.
Other notable outings included 29 points and 10 rebounds against Hillsdale during the Pat Paterson tournament, 24 points and 20 rebounds at St. Philip, and 20 points and 14 rebounds in a home game against Waldron.
You must be registered for see images
He also showcased his passing ability with eight assists in a game at Pittsford, demonstrating a skill set rarely seen from a young post player. He posted eight assists alongside 17 points and 10 rebounds — just two assists shy of a triple-double effort.
Maturity beyond his grade
Colts head coach Dustin Scharer said Huffman’s basketball maturity helped make the unusual varsity leap possible.
“It all starts with how much basketball he’s played,” Scharer said. “He came to us as a very mature basketball player for an eighth grader, and he’s a mature young kid.”
Scharer described Huffman as a complete player who impacts games in ways that extend beyond scoring.
“He’s team first,” Scharer said. “He could score a lot more if he wanted to, but he does the dirty work. He blocks shots inside, rebounds and makes the right plays.”
One of the traits that stands out most to the Colts’ coaching staff is Huffman’s decision-making.
“There aren’t many eighth-grade big men who can grab a defensive rebound and lead the break,” Scharer said. “And when he does it, he’s not trying to force a shot. He’s finding open teammates and making good decisions.
“For an eighth grader to make the decisions he makes with the ball is really impressive. It just speaks to the type of kid he is and his maturity.”
You must be registered for see images
Growth through the season
Huffman said the possibility of playing varsity began to take shape after his previous season and through summer basketball.
“After last season, I kind of knew I might move up to JV or varsity,” Huffman said. “It really started during summer basketball, and then we just kept getting better throughout the year.”
That improvement was evident as Hillsdale Academy surged through the second half of the season.
The Colts dominated district play, defeating opponents by a combined score of 137-71 while extending their winning streak to two months.
Huffman also delivered in the postseason, finishing with 48 points to lead Hillsdale Academy in playoff scoring.
Senior leadership and family support
Scharer said the team’s senior class also played a critical role in allowing younger players like Huffman to thrive.
“That can be difficult sometimes when younger players step into big roles,” Scharer said. “But our seniors have been tremendous. They’ve accepted their roles and brought the younger guys along. It’s never been seniors versus underclassmen. Those guys have really welcomed them and helped them grow.”
Huffman’s athletic background also comes from a sports-oriented household.
His mother, Katherine Huffman, serves as the varsity volleyball coach at Hillsdale Academy, and Huffman said both of his parents help him continue to improve his game away from the court.
“My mom and my dad give me tips off the court,” Huffman said.
He also credited the Colts’ coaching staff — Scharer and assistant coach Adam Malcheff — for guiding the team through the season.
You must be registered for see images attach
Looking ahead
Despite already playing a major role on a district championship team, Huffman’s high school career has barely begun.
For the young center, the long-term goal remains simple.
“I want to win a state championship one year,” Huffman said. “That’s my goal.”
With four full seasons of high school basketball still ahead, Huffman’s early varsity experience could position him as a cornerstone of Hillsdale Academy’s future tournament runs and a potential standout recruit who will likely make appearances on the annual all-state lists across Michigan until his graduation date of 2030.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Hillsdale area basketball player stars as eighth grader on varsity
Continue reading...
