Gwinnett Daily Post

Photo by Heather Meadows

The start of a new school year made a number of basketball transfers official this week, with the comings and goings affecting a number of schools.

At Greater Atlanta Christian, the transactions went both ways.

The Spartans added a valuable part to their two-time defending Class AA champion boys team, getting 6-foot-2 wing Delano Spencer from Parkview. The junior averaged a team-high 16 points last season for the Panthers.

"There's no question he'll help us," GAC boys coach Eddie Martin said of Spencer. "When I found out he was coming, I called (Parkview) Coach (Keenan) Temple and we talked about him. He'll bring an added dimension to our team."

The news wasn't so good for the defending state runner-up GAC girls, who lost two starters in post Kristina Nelson and guard Shannon Cranshaw. Nelson enrolled at rival Buford, the three-time defending state champion in Class AA, while Cranshaw returned to Florida, where she lived before transferring to GAC prior to last season. Nelson, a 6-3 post, led GAC in scoring (15.5) and rebounding (6.8) last season.

"(Nelson's) a quality post player," Buford girls coach Gene Durden said. "She's got great touch, great hands and does a great job protecting the paint."

Nelson's transfer will help early in the season as senior guard Andraya Carter misses time from a knee injury. She's expected to return in December.