Top-100 SG Aiden Derkack transfers to SPIRE Academy (Ohio) for senior season

One of the nation’s top shooting guard prospects is on the move ahead of his senior season.

On Sunday, Aiden Derkack, a 6-foot-5, 160-pound prospect out of Colonia, N.J., announced that he’s leaving Colonia High and is transferring to SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio. It’s a major move for the Garden State standout, as he’s now set to play with top talent in his final season of prep basketball.

Derkack has led Colonia to two county titles and three sectional championships. He’s coming off a junior campaign that saw him average more than 27 points and eight rebounds per game.

He ranks as the No. 68 overall prospect and No. 19 SG in the 2026 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies. He was also the No. 2 recruit in New Jersey.

SPIRE has been in the news frequently as of late. Back in March, it was announced that Kevin Boyle, the longtime head basketball coach of Montverde Academy (Fla.), was leaving to take the reins at the Ohio program. The four-time Naismith High School Coach of the Year had been at the helm at Montverde since 2011 and propelled the Eagles to national championships in eight of the last 12 seasons.

“Excited to welcome Aiden Derkack to the SPIRE family,” the program wrote in a post announcing the transfer on X. “Aiden has been one of the most consistent winners in HS basketball, leading Colonia (N.J.) to multiple state titles…Coach Boyle is thrilled to welcome a tough kid from NJ to help us chase a championship in year one.”

Derkack is now the latest piece to the puzzle for Boyle’s incoming roster. Fellow seniors and four-star small forwards Alex Constanza and Tarris Bouie will help lead the charge, while junior four-stars King Gibson and Jaylan Mitchell are also going to feature heavily this coming season.

More on Derkack and his recruitment

Derkack’s offer list continues to grow. Indiana jumped in the mix last month, joining Rutgers, Villanova, Notre Dame, Maryland, Creighton, Miami and plenty others.

“I’m looking for a school that fits my style of play,” Derkack told Rivals’ Jamie Shaw back in the fall. “I want to play for an awesome coaching staff that I trust can win some big games. I feel like now more than ever, I’m comfortable playing in my own skin.”

“I’m an all-around player,” he said. “I’m a player who likes to get up and down in transition and I like to hit shots off the dribble-attack. I watch a lot of Kevin Durant and I watch a lot of Raja Bell, especially on the defensive end. He’s a family friend. He and my dad played together at FIU.”

At the end of May, Derkack garnered some praise from Shaw after some solid outings at Nike’s EYBL stop in Memphis. Myriad Power Four head coaches were in the building and got a chance to see Derkack go to work.

“Derkack is a jack-of-all-trades type of wing,” Shaw wrote. “Someone who puts their fingerprints on many aspects of an outcome. For starters, the 6-foot-6 wing plays hard and has a natural feel. He is comfortable attacking from the wing, getting teammates involved, and also defending multiple positions. He will need to work on his shooting consistency, but he limits turnovers and puts the ball in advantageous situations.”