NORTON SHORES – Mona Shores’ Parker Swartz broke into varsity basketball last season averaging about 10 points per game.
That was really good for a sophomore, but it did not lead anyone to suspect that he might be one of the top scorers in the area this season.
Meanwhile, Parker’s team only won two games last season, and nobody expected the Sailors to be significantly better any time soon.
But both Swartz and the Sailors are defying expectations this season.
Swartz, a junior forward, has taken a huge step forward this winter, averaging 18.1 points over nine games, nearly double his output from last season. He’s also been very strong on the boards, averaging 6.1 rebounds per game.
[1]He started the season on a high note, scoring 22 points in just three quarters in the first game against Grandville before coming out with an ankle injury.
He stayed hot as the weeks went by, scoring 24 points (with five 3-pointers) against Tri-Unity Christian, 26 against Grand Rapids Union, 22 against Lowell, 20 (including four triples) against Cedar Springs, 16 against Kenowa Hills and 15 against Zeeland East.
Swartz’ breakout season in point production is a big reason why Mona Shores has taken big steps in the victory column.
After winning only two games each of the past two seasons, the Sailors are 5-4 heading into rivalry games on Tuesday night against Reeths-Puffer and Friday night against Muskegon.
Mona Shores has won three of its last four games, following last Friday’s 59-39 win over Zeeland East, in what Coach Brad Kurth called the most complete game of the season.
“We had balanced scoring, players stepping up in multiple areas, and the defense was the best we’ve had,” Kurth said about the game. “Our goal is to win, and we feel like we’re getting better every game. We’re getting to the point where we know where we can be.”
[2]The team’s improvement starts with Swartz, who led the team in scoring last season, and is doing the same this year.
The junior co-captain threw himself into workouts in the offseason, on his own, with teammates, and by playing for an elite local AAU team. He was determined to return as a much-improved player, and he has more than accomplished that goal, Kurth said.
“He was really good last year, but he still had a lot of things to fix, and he took last season’s experience and put the work in,” Kurth said. “He’s certainly not the only guy on our team who put a lot of work in, but he had a great offseason. He was on an AAU team with some of the better players in the area, like Harrison Sorrelle from Grand Haven and Parker Hovey from Hart, and he was the leading scorer on that team. He got better.
“He got stronger physically, he grew an inch or two, and he came in as our best player this year. We have confidence that he’s going to score for us. Teams have a hard time shutting him down, because he can score from the inside, he shoots really well from three-point range, he can elevate to shoot, and he drives the lane really well. He can handle contact and make shots.”
Swartz’ incredible work ethic has also had an impact on his teammates, Kurth said.
[3]“When your best player is also one of your hardest workers, you have the recipe for other kids raising the bar,” the coach said. “Parker works his tail off.”
Scoring in a variety of ways is something Swartz takes pride in. He said he gets his offensive inspiration from NBA superstar Kevin Durant.
“I really enjoy that role on the team,” said Swatz, who admitted he did not get serious about basketball until his middle school years, when he started to understand his full potential. “I look up to Kevin Durant for sure. I try to model my game off of his play style and his scoring ability.”
Scoring may grab the headlines for Swartz, but he’s also becoming something of a defensive stopper.
“I love doing that,” he said about being asked to guard tough opponents. “It’s like one of the top things for me. When you’re guarding their number one option, it’s a challenge and I love being up for the challenge.”
More than anything, Swartz loves being part of a team that is finally winning its share of games. The Sailors have not reached double-digit wins since the 2017-18 season, but they are already halfway to that mark this year.
“It’s been rough the last few years,” Swartz said. “We only won two games last year and I just really want to get this team going. We have a lot of guys this year who really want to do it, too.”
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