Crafting a winning team: Inside the mind of Kent VanderYacht
Despite basketball not being a traditional sport in South Africa, a vibrant school basketball culture has emerged, with Northwood to the fore as one of the country’s powerhouses.
Coached by Kent VanderYacht, the Knights have dominated the sport and that looks likely to continue, thanks to their successful and popular programme.
Given that the majority of their starters in 2025 were still in grade 10 – including, among others, Siya Shabalala, Simamukele Vacu, and Awande Chiliza – it is reasonable to conclude that Northwood’s basketball supremacy is likely to continue.
In a recent interview with SuperSport Schools Plus, VanderYacht highlighted the team’s dominance against the best teams in the country, with back-to-back titles at the St John’s College Basketball Tournament title in 2024 and 2025. The St John’s College Basketball Tournament is considered the premier event for school teams in Southern Africa.
This year, Northwood finished with an impressive 11-0 record in the fourth term.
In the fourth term of 2023, they went 12-2. Then, in the first term of 2024, their record was 18-1. It was 13-2 in the fourth term of 2024. Then, at the start of 2025, in the first term, it was 13-0, and they won the St John’s College title. In the fourth term of 2025, it was 10-1. Add that up and their record is an imposing 66-6 since the fourth term of 2023.
VanderYacht hails from a small town called Lynden, in Washington, the USA. He described it as very basketball-oriented, adding that the school he attended had a huge basketball tradition.
“As a kid from there, you grow up dreaming about playing for your high school basketball team. It’s throughout the whole town, wanting to be the next one that wins the championship for your small town, so yeah, basketball has always been a passion of mine and my family’s,” he told SuperSport Schools Plus. As a player, VanderYacht starred for the Lynden Lions in 1995 and 96.
His love for the game runs deep. He first arrived at Northwood in 2019, when the school asked him to come on board as a volunteer to help out with the basketball programme.
“Before Northwood came along, I had been out of the game for 20 years, or so, and I was not sure if I could help Northwood, or if I had it in me,” he admitted. “But then, I realised that these kids don’t get introduced to basketball until they’re in grade eight, so they just need the basics to be taught to them.”
He began teaching basic tactics to the young boys at Northwood that year and has been with the school ever since.
Since his arrival, Northwood has compiled an incredible record, including going unbeaten at home since 2020.
Initially, the school’s interest in basketball was, perhaps, perfunctory, with only two teams per age group. There was no real structure that supported the development of the basketball programme. Now, VanderYacht reports, there are over 30 teams, more than in any other sport at Northwood.
“The kids love it. I mean, I can’t get them off the basketball court now.
“Once, you create the love for a sport, they’re going to get better because they’re always on the court playing it, and one of my biggest things, is to let the boys play, let the boys have fun, have fun in practices, let’s make the game enjoyable.”
Northwood has its challenges in the u16 and u14 divisions due to the programme’s structure, as most boys are new to the sport. There, the emphasis is on teaching fundamental skills, like ball handling, court movement, and jump shots.
“We don’t win much at the grade 8, 9 level, but when you see the results at grade 11 level, that’s when these boys now can shoot, and their skills are so much quicker and better,” VanderYacht explained.
He clarified that their strategy is deliberate and effective, requiring fundamentals to be taught first.
In the 2024 season, Northwood excelled at the St John’s Tournament, with Chadley Hargreaves, Lusanda Hlongwane, Callum Magurno, and Shabalala leading the charge. VanderYacht praised his players’ heart, hustle, and strong defence as essential components of a championship-winning basketball team.
A loss, he tells his charges, can be a blessing. They’re a part of the process of growth. Northwood won the St John’s Basketball Tournament title at the start of the year, but they felt the pain of defeat in the Westville Boys’ High Invitational Schools Stayers’ Basketball Tournament, in October, going down 53-59 to Maritzburg College in the semi-finals.
“From that game, I told them, I know you don’t like this feeling, but I had to remind them that this is from where you learn. Each loss is almost a blessing for me as a coach because I get to take those as teaching moments, and I teach them how to take those losses and make a comeback from them.”
A month later, in November, Northwood sought retribution against Maritzburg College in a derby clash and achieved a decisive 66-52 victory over a top rival.
VanderYacht told SuperSport Schools Plus that his coaching of the players extends beyond basketball. He uses the sport to build a successful first team and also mentors the players to transform the culture.
“I come from a strong Christian belief, and that’s my main goal: to teach them, show them, the love of Christ, to show them what it is to have discipline, and why you should treat others with respect on and off the court. My moral values are bigger than basketball,” he concluded.
Living the values he espouses, in addition to his involvement in basketball, VanderYacht serves as the Director of Hearts That Hope, an organisation committed to fostering a nurturing environment where at-risk children can flourish in a loving home environment.
