Seneca’s Paxton Giertz will continue to hoop at Hillsdale

In the spring of his junior year, Seneca’s Paxton Giertz received a text message while eating lunch at school from an unknown number.

It turned out to be from one the assistant basketball coaches from Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan.

“I had not heard of them before, but we kept in contact,” Giertz said. “Our team here at Seneca went to a summer shootout and played four games there. I guess I played good enough to impress the coaches. Then I returned for a visit late October, they offered a full-ride scholarship, and I officially committed a week later.

“This is where God has me at and it’s where I’m supposed to be.”

Hillsdale College is located in the south-central part of the state and near the Indiana and Ohio border. The Chargers are a NCAA Division II program and a member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.

The 6-foot-1 Giertz, the reigning two-time Times Boys Basketball Player of the Year and first-team selection, helped lead the Fighting Irish to a 23-10 mark last season. He averaged an area-best 21.6 points, to go along with 5.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 2.5 steals. He made 104 3-pointers and shot 82.4% from the free-throw line.

He is a three-time All-Conference and two-time consensus All-State honoree who has led the Fighting Irish to three straight 20-plus win seasons and three 2A regional final appearances. He entered this season as the program record holder in career (546), single-season (192) and single game (12) assists.

This season he has already helped lead Seneca to 20 wins. Individually, he has become the program’s all-time leading scorer, surpassed 2,000 career points and has won Most Valuable Player honors at the Serena Huskers Hardwood Tip-Off and Shipyard Showdown Tournaments.

Giertz said everything about Hillsdale is the right fit.

“They are very big into the family aspect of the team, which I love,” he said. “Everyone is doing something together even if it’s not basketball related.

“They are highly regarded in academics and the classes are on the smaller side so I’m going to get a lot of individual attention. They have a sports management degree, which I’m leaning on pursuing with a minor in education.”

Seneca coach Russ Witte said Hillsdale is getting a solid all-around athlete that will lead.

“They are going to have to kick him out of the gym,” White said. “He’s been like that here. He’ll have football or baseball practice and then after that come in here and shoot for an hour. The kid just loves basketball, he has a drive to be better.

“Pax can stretch the floor. The college game is a layup or 3-point shot type of game. Hillsdale puts five guys on the floor that can shoot and can get to the rack, and they play solid defense. That’s why Paxton will fit in right away. He’ll have some adjusting to do there, but his drive will help him through it all. Hillsdale is big in the weight room, so the Paxton you see this season will be much different down the road.

“I’m not ready to give him up just yet. But I feel like the sky is the limit and I’m excited to see him excel at the next level.”

Hillsdale coach Keven Bradley also made a statement on the team’s athletic website.

“Paxton is a very skilled point guard, who has a knack for making big plays and shots throughout his career. He plays with great pace on the offensive end and has the great ability to create for his teammates with his passing and court vision. He does a great job of reading and coming off screens, looking to make plays for himself or teammates. Paxton has a great feel for the game, especially on the defensive end.”