Player of the Year
Colt Langdon – Sophomore – Millbrook
The general public saw this coming since Millbrook played their last 2021-22 season game. Langdon averaged 19.5p, 4.5r, 1.1a, 1s, and 1.3b per game in conference play with shooting splits of 50/47/74. Being 6’8” and shooting 47% from three on over four attempts per game is absolutely absurd and it’s a big reason why Langdon is considered a high-major prospect. He can hit difficult shots from anywhere and his consistency is unheard of for a player his age. Millbrook is Colt’s team and everyone knows it. The leader and top option of the best team in the conference earn this award.
HM: Jayan Walker – Junior – Millbrook
Defensive Player of the Year
Gabe Cerda – Senior – Millbrook
“Everyone needs a Cerda.” The senior point guard is a tenacious and aggressive on-ball defender that creates all sorts of havoc. His strength and physical style is a nightmare for opponents who aren’t both physically and mentally tough enough. He averaged 3.9 steals per game in conference play and had a season-high of 8 in one game. His high energy and great instincts give him an extremely high floor when projecting to the next level and Millbrook will miss his defensive leadership for years to come.
HM: Dashaun Grant – Senior – Wake Forest
6th Man of the Year
Blake Bartney – Junior – Millbrook
The NAC doesn’t have many deep benches so this award was relatively easy to give out. Bartney averaged 6.7p, 2.5r, 1.5a, and 1s per game in conference play while being one of the better slashers around. He’s developing as a shot-maker but mostly acts as a serviceable backup guard that can defend, score at the rim, and create when needed. He’ll be a big part of Millbrook’s run at a state championship in the 2023-24 season.
HM: Jason Howard – Junior – Wakefield
Newcomer of the Year
Jayan Walker – Junior – Millbrook
Walker has been a top 3 transfer in NCHSAA basketball this season. He’s a 6’7” wing that has a great frame and the athleticism to match. His hands are huge and his body isn’t done filling out. He can create his own shot with ease and he’s extremely comfortable in the midrange and transition. He averaged 16.4p, 7r, and 1.8s per game in conference play while shooting 60%(!!) from inside the arc. He’s an inside-out scorer that gets whatever look he wants and his two-way ability is outstanding for his size. Walker will be another clear candidate for NAC POY next season.
HM: Brandon Callahan – Junior – Millbrook
Freshman of the Year
Cam Jones – Freshman – Heritage
Jones was the only freshman on varsity in the NAC, making this award easy to hand out. Despite that, Jones earned it with his potential-filled guard play off the bench for the young Huskies. He’s a 6’1” combo guard that already has a good handle and quickness for a varsity-level player. His ability to contribute to the rotation should inspire confidence around the Heritage program as the young team looks to bounce back as soon as next season.
HM: None
Breakout Player of the Year
Cameron Spencer – Senior – Wakefield
Spencer led Wakefield in scoring en route to the Wolverines finishing second in the conference and earning a playoff bid. He averaged 14.2p and 3.3r per game in conference play while shooting 40% from three on over 6 attempts per game. Coming in at 6’5” with a great frame, his ability to shoot gives him an immensely high floor. Spencer wasn’t on our radar before the season started and he forced everyone in the area to take notice of him this year. He’s a highly recruitable prospect and JUCO/D3 schools should be calling him nonstop.
HM: Khaim Taylor – Junior – Knightdale
Coach of the Year
Chris Davis – Millbrook
Coach Davis led Millbrook to another regular season and conference tournament title in the NAC with a 9-1 conference record. They were exceptionally dominant in each of their wins, winning by an average margin of 24.2 PPG. They also won both of their conference tournament games by a combined 70 points. Coach Davis lived up to and even surpassed the expectations placed on his team this season and that just cannot go unnoticed.
HM: Anthony Byrd – Knightdale
All-NAC First Team
Gabe Cerda – Senior – Millbrook
Cerda is one of the most impactful players in the state, making winning plays on both ends with unmatched intensity. He averaged 12.7p, 5.4r, 5.1a, and 3.9s per game in conference play while shooting 54% from the floor. He also finished with a 3.19 A/TO ratio, something that this Millbrook team desperately needed from their lead guard.
Dashaun Grant – Senior – Wake Forest
Grant is a hard-nosed and aggressive lead guard that impacts every aspect of the game at a high level. He averaged 14.6p, 4.5r, 2.6a, and 1.4s while shooting 58% from inside the arc in conference play. The ECSU Football prioritizes getting to the rim and thrives when finishing through contact, shown by his 88 FTA in NAC play. He turns defense into offense at a high rate and is one of the very best at controlling the speed of a game.
Jayan Walker – Junior – Millbrook
See Newcomer of the Year.
Colt Langdon – Sophomore – Millbrook
See Player of the Year.
Jaevian Alston – Senior – Wake Forest
Alston exploded onto the high school scene this season, coming out as one of the top 2024s in the county. He averaged 15.2p, 5.5r, 1.5a, and 1.5b per game in conference play. He was a dominant inside-out presence for the Cougars this season, acting as their stretch big. He’s great at attacking closeouts and can even create his own shot off the bounce from time to time. Due to his frame and ball skills, it should be expected for him to take another big leap going into his senior season.
All-NAC Second Team
Isaac Tatum – Junior – Rolesville
Tatum is a quick and skilled guard that has primary creator traits. He averaged 12p, 4.2r, 2.9a, and 1.1s per game in conference play. Tatum played in an offense where he was required (along with Michael Downing) to generate large amounts of shots for his team. This caused him to take on a larger load than most players in the county. His higher usage led to positives and negatives but his ability to produce under that microscope is an extremely good indicator of what’s to come.
Michael Downing – Junior – Rolesville
Downing, like his teammate Tatum, had to carry a heavier-than-normal load for a young and inexperienced Rolesville team. He averaged 12.8p, 2.7r, and 2.1a in conference play. He’s a sturdy defender and a true pest on the ball. Offensively he has a variety of ways he can get to his spots and relies on a handful of shots to finish plays. Downing is an on-court leader and Rolesville would be lucky to have his tenacious attitude rub off on the rest of the program.
Nigel Lucas – Senior – Wake Forest
Lucas is one of the most well-rounded players in the county, making winning plays through rebounding, defending, scoring, and creating. He averaged 11.1p, 4.4r, 3.1a, and 2.1s per game in conference play and shot 52% from the field and 38% from three. The D1 football commit is a strong defender and thrives when causing havoc on and off the ball. He contributes to winning as much as anyone in the NAC.
Cameron Spencer – Senior – Wakefield
See Breakout Player of the Year.
Jalen Yancey – Senior – Wakefield
Yancey is an interesting player as the 6’4” forward is one of the rare ‘point-forwards’ in high school basketball. He makes his money as a paint scorer that can occasionally step out and hit a mid-range jumper off the bounce. He averaged 11.5p, 6.5r, 3.2a, and 1.7 stocks per game in conference play while shooting 55% from the field (all twos). Yancey led the team in rebounds and assists and was top three in points and steals. That kind of all-around impact toward winning is extremely valuable and his playmaking ability just can’t go understated.
All-NAC Third Team
Jason Dickerson – Junior – Knightdale
Dickerson is a talented off-guard that averaged 10.1p, 2r, and 1.3s per game in conference play while shooting 71% from two and 36% from three on over 5 attempts per game. He knows how to get downhill and has a nice multi-level scoring game and he can explode for 20+ point outings on occasion. Look for him to have a successful summer and roll that into a breakout senior season.
AJ Smalls – Senior – Wake Forest
Smalls is a dynamic volume shooter that can get hot in a hurry. He averaged 9p, 2.1r, and 1.8a per game in conference play. He was streakier than normal this season, specifically in the second half of the year, but you can’t deny his importance to the Wake Forest program. He’s been a three-year varsity starter, with a consistent impact across each season. The Cougars will desperately miss him next season.
Khaim Taylor – Junior – Knightdale
Taylor is one of the most dynamic guards in the conference who thrives at getting downhill and scoring inside the arc. He averaged 12.9p, 3.5r, 1.4a, 1.6s, and 1.7b while shooting 58% from inside the arc. He’s a very versatile defender and is a rare guard to average over 1.5s and 1.5b per game. That type of two-way impact made him Knightdale’s leader and he should see another jump toward stardom in his senior season.
Kyrie Heredia – Junior – Millbrook
Heredia is one of the absolute best role players in the county. He’s an athletic wing that is a high-level and versatile defender. He averaged 7.6p, 5.6r, and 2.1 stocks per game in conference play while 70% from inside the arc. He’s one of the most low-maintenance offensive pieces around and his defensive impact is virtually second to none. It’s unclear if or when his role will increase at Millbrook given the returning talent on their roster next year but regardless, Heredia will always be in contention for all-conference and all-defensive team awards.
Levi Beckwith – Sophomore – Heritage
Beckwith has future superstar written all over him and this season showed many positive signs towards that development. He’s a sturdy 6’6” big man that has had stretches where he dominates the paint on the offensive end. He can step out and knockdown outside shots (both off the move and the catch) and he’s even flashed a bit of a handle in the open court. He was the most consistent player on a young and struggling Heritage team this season and that earns him this nod.
All-NAC Honorable Mentions
Jacob Lawton – Junior – Millbrook
Lawton is one of the quickest and more exciting players to watch in the NAC. He’s a knockdown shooter that can shoot with range off the catch and off the dribble. He averaged 5.1p, 1.1r, 2.9a, and 2.8s per game in conference play. He’s the definition of heart over height and is one of the better defenders around despite his smaller frame. He’s smart, instinctual, and confident on both sides of the ball and should enjoy an even more productive senior season as an important piece for Millbrook.
Brandon Callahan – Junior – Millbrook
Callahan was limited to just five conference games so his ceiling as far as awards go was lower than it otherwise would’ve been. In the games he did play, he averaged 9.4p and 2.2s per game with shooting splits of 52/50/75. He’s a natural scorer that would put up double his current numbers on a less-talented team. Callahan fit in rather seamlessly to what was already a well-oiled machine for the Wildcats.
Jon Mwanda – Sophomore – Heritage
Mwanda flashed some serious potential this season on an inexperienced heritage team. He was one of the primary ball handlers and his athleticism allowed him to take on a variety of different roles within the team. Mwanda should be looked towards to have the biggest leap in development and production from this year to next out of anyone at Heritage.
Khi Benjiman – Senior – Wakefield
Benjamin only played three conference games but his production in those games earned him the honorable mention nod. He averaged 12.7p, 5.3r, 2a, and 2 stocks per game in conference play. He’s an athletic and versatile wing that handled a lot of the offensive load for Wakefield. Had he played more games he would’ve moved up considerably on this list.
Khalil Sanders – Junior – Knightdale
Sanders is a strong and serviceable junior big that averaged 5.4p, 6.8r, 1.1a, and 1.4 stocks per game in conference play. He was clearly Knightdale’s best big and as he continues to establish himself he should see increased usage and production within their program. He’s an efficient finisher around the rim and will only continue to improve as a rim protector on the other end.
Gabe Cerda – Senior – Millbrook
See Defensive Player of the Year.
Khaim Taylor – Junior – Knightdale
Taylor was a rare 3+ stocks per game guy while averaging over 1.5s and 1.5b per game in conference play. That type of versatility and havoc creation cannot be overlooked. He’s got good length for his position and the athleticism and instincts are obviously there given the counting stats. He should continue to develop into a dominant POA and scheme defender that will terrorize the NAC for another season.
Dashaun Grant – Senior – Wake Forest
It was difficult not to give Grant the DPOY award given his physical and tough style of play and his ability to completely take opponents out of their game. He’s one of the best at keeping his man in front of him and rarely gets beat off the dribble. Grant consistently wins 50/50 balls and excels at disrupting his opponent’s rhythm with his dominance on the defensive end,
Nigel Lucas – Senior – Wake Forest
Lucas is one of the most well-rounded defenders in the county, which is a fitting statement for a D1 football player. He’s one of the most impressive players in the county as far as strength, speed, and athleticism are concerned. Lucas is an elite-level ball hawk and one of the very best on and off-ball defenders around.
Kyrie Heredia – Junior – Millbrook
Heredia is a matchup nightmare as he can truly guard anyone 1-5. At 6’5”, he has the size, strength, and quickness to handle virtually any matchup. He (along with Cerda) was the heart of Millbrook’s defense, carrying a heavy load on that end of the floor as both a POA defender and rim protector. With another year left to play, Heredia should be at the forefront of the Wake County DPOY conversation next season.