John Bella-Hunter, top, shoots between Putnam defenders Taelon Martin, left, and Davidson Pacheco, during the Western Massachusetts Division 1 championship game at Curry Hicks Cage. He announced his decision to transfer to the MacDuffie School on Monday
John Bella-Hunter, top, shoots between Putnam defenders Taelon Martin, left, and Davidson Pacheco, during the Western Massachusetts Division 1 championship game at Curry Hicks Cage. He announced his decision to transfer to the MacDuffie School on Monday Credit: GAZETTE STAFF/FILE

Amherst Regional basketball will enter the 2016-17 down one Bella-Hunter.

John Bella-Hunter on Monday announced on Twitter that he would transfer to the MacDuffie School.

He and his twin brother, Seth, were set to anchor an Amherst front line that lost Devonte’ McCall to graduation. (McCall will play a post-grad year at the Westminster School this upcoming season.)

Seth Bella-Hunter will remain at Amherst for his senior season.

John Bella-Hunter plans to reclassify as a junior to give him two seasons in pursuit of a college basketball scholarship.

“MacDuffie is going to give me the best opportunity at a scholarship. I want to work hard and make college free so my dad can relax and not worry about the financial part,” John Bella-Hunter said. “Academically I will have more help and I can really get my GPA up, and it will give me more options in life.”

He averaged 8.4 points per game last season and played on the Hurricanes’ last two Western Massachusetts finalist teams.

Kyle Grabowski can be reached at kgrabowski@gazettenet.com.