From Queens to Staunton: Stuart Hall basketball star gaining interest from Division I colleges

STAUNTON — Sitting on the bleachers in the Stuart Hall gym Friday night, Tafari Plummer had just changed out of his basketball jersey and shorts and into a black sweatshirt and plaid flannel pajama pants. He patiently sat through an interview with a reporter, but the thing that was on his mind was home.

As soon as Plummer finished the interview and got back to his room he was going to call his family — Mom, Dad and little sister still live in New York City. He wanted to give them an update on how the game went. The family usually makes the six-hour trip to watch him but couldn't last week.

Plummer grew up in Queens and misses home, but he believes coming to school in Staunton is best for his future.

He enrolled in Stuart Hall for this academic year through a program called Inspiring Young Minds, a nonprofit organization based in Brooklyn that helps place students in independent schools around the country. Plummer and his family thought getting out of the shadow of New York City basketball could help him get the attention of college recruiters.

"I was a small fish in the big sea," Plummer said.

Stuart Hall's basketball coach Jeff Lafave met Plummer and his parents in March 2022. He wasn't sure what they would think of the area, but Lafave said it turned out that Stuart Hall and Staunton were exactly what they wanted for their son.

"He's one of a million kids (in New York City) that are 6-2, 180 with a 40-inch vertical (jump)," Lafave said. "They thought that would be a great move for him. Educationally, he was a great student, but here he gets pushed more."

Plummer is 6-2, but, for the record, he said his vertical is 42. And he's putting up stats that are attracting attention. Plummer is averaging 22 points, 11 rebounds and five assists a game. Last Friday, in a two-point win over Covenant, Plummer was coming off of an ankle injury that had kept him out of two games. He didn't have the lift he normally does, causing him to miss a few shots early at the rim. He didn't let it discourage him.

"My dad is always telling me, 'Never get too low, never get too high,'" Plummer said. "You know, everybody has bad games. Sometimes just keep pushing through no matter what happens."

He found other ways to contribute Friday, mainly handling the basketball and getting it into the hands of his teammates. In college, that's probably more of what will be asked of him anyway, less scoring and more distributing. On Friday, against Covenant, Plummer got an offensive rebound and scored to tie the game at 38-38 with 1:46 left. Then, 40 seconds later, Plummer's pass found Jackson Hinesunder the basket for the game-winning score.

Plummer said he's comfortable in whatever role he's asked to play.

"Passing, defending, scoring," he said. "I just try to do my best to help my teammates, try to get the win every night. You know, whatever needs to be done."

Just a junior, Plummer still has another year to work on his game and find the college that is right for him. He plans to return to Stuart Hall for his senior year. Once school is out this spring, Plummer will return to Queens and play his summer ball on the Under Armour Circuit for Team Rio.

Lafave said Plummer has gotten some interest from the University of North Carolina Charlotte, Davidson and Virginia Commonwealth. No offers yet, but Plummer feels that will come soon.

Stuart Hall has had some good players come through the program, but players getting looks from Division 1 schools is rare for the small Staunton school. Adam Pickett is one of those players. A 2015 graduate of Stuart Hall, Pickett signed to play at Winthrop University in South Carolina and, after his college days, spent time playing professionally in Germany.

Now Pickett is back in Staunton helping coach at Mary Baldwin University. Friday night, he was in the stands watching Plummer and, after the game, the former Stuart Hall star stood on the court chatting with the current Stuart Hall star. Pickett is one of the few people who understand what it's like to be a big-time basketball prospect at a small private school that emphasizes academics way more than it focuses on sports.

"It definitely gives him a great chance to showcase his skills," Pickett said of playing in Staunton. "He can show other facets of his game that, maybe when he's with Team Rio or back home in New York, that he doesn't get to show. Honestly, I think it's a perfect opportunity for him."

The one thing Pickett can't help with is adjusting to small-town life after living in New York. Pickett came from Nelson County.

"I would imagine, from New York, the city to come to Staunton ... we don't even have a mall anymore I don't think," Pickett said.

He's right. No mall. Still, Plummer has enjoyed Staunton.

"This was nothing, nothing like where I was from," Plummer said of his first thoughts when he toured Staunton. "But it wasn't too bad because I've seen other private schools and, like sometimes, they're just in the middle of nowhere. At least Stuart Hall has a little downtown area where you can get food, you can hang out with friends."

His favorite spot so far — Remedy Burger on East Beverley Street.

"They have some good burgers," Plummer said.

Plummer, who is taking physics and precalculus among his classes, has adjusted well it seems. He really likes Stuart Hall.

"The school is so small, you can always reach out to anybody," he said. "You never feel like you fall on deaf ears, like you're struggling. You can always reach out to a teacher. And they let me come to the gym. As long as I do on my schoolwork, everything runs smoothly."

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— Patrick Hite is The News Leader's education reporter. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Contact Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and follow him on Twitter @Patrick_Hite. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Tafari Plummer leads Stuart Hall basketball as he draws interest from D1 colleges