The Valparaiso boys basketball team got a lot better Sunday.
That’s when Brandon Newman tweeted he was returning to be a Viking after a short stint at prep school in Florida.
Newman left Montverde Academy, where he enrolled for his senior year, and decided to finish at Valparaiso. Newman announced in July he was enrolling at Montverde in an attempt to boost his preparation for college.
Newman said on Twitter he was coming home because his mother was dealing with health issues. He didn’t return two messages for comment.
“Due to my mother’s health, my family and I have decided that it is best for me that I return to Valparaiso and re-enroll at Valparaiso High School,” he wrote on Twitter.
Valparaiso coach Barak Coolman said Newman, who lived with his mother in Valparaiso, felt he needed return home to help her through a challenging time in her life.
“Relationships are important to him,” Coolman said. “His mom is a great lady and she has had a huge impact on his life. She’s having some health things she has to deal with and he wanted to be with her.”
Coolman said the conversation about returning to Valparaiso started last week and culminated with Newman making a decision Friday to return.
Newman, the 2017-18 Post-Tribune Boys Basketball Player of the Year, averaged 24.9 points and nine rebounds as a junior. He led the Vikings to their first sectional title since 2011.
A 6-foot-4 guard, Newman was selected a core player this summer for the Indiana Junior All-Star team.
He’s currently ranked as a four-star player by Rivals.com. Some of his college offers are from Purdue, Indiana, Xavier, Ohio State, Florida State and Valparaiso University.
Newman has an official visit set Thursday for Purdue.
The Vikings, who finished 18-11 last season, will play Warren Central in the Hall of Fame Tournament on Dec. 29 in New Albany. Warren Central won the Class 4A state title last year.
Valparaiso also will play a showcase game on Dec. 22 against Zionsville. Coolman had planned to play across the state to showcase Newman for a Mr. Indiana Basketball run.