Hickory Ridge has been an interesting program when it comes to talent. They have had players like Caleb Foster and Jordan Marsh, both of which are now at Oak Hill. They have also have had players like Daniel Lubamba and Shane Fernald in the program before.
Now, it seems that they have a few new young names that they are looking to build around and should be ones to take note of. Though the Ragin’ Bulls are sitting at 4-9 on the season, that doesn’t mean there isn’t talent to be found. A roster full of juniors and seniors, there are actually two sophomores that have been leading the charge this season and could be the building blocks down the road.
2024 Miles Beard, a name Phenom Hoops is quite familiar with when he played with CC Elite over the summer, has been putting up some strong numbers; bigger numbers than the names listed above. The sophomore is averaging 21.6ppg, 3.2rpg, 2.8apg, and 1.3spg on the season and has done so consistently. To look more at his game, check out his evaluation just months ago at the Phenom All-American camp:
“He’s a smart, skilled, well-rounded guard prospect with terrific IQ and overall polish for his age. Beard can reliably create for himself or others and apply nonstop scoring pressure from all three levels. He’s a solid athlete with toughness, quickness, and useful capabilities as a defender and rebounder… Coach Allen on Beard: “Miles is a very explosive player who has the ability to rip a rim off the backboard. He can catch fire in shooting the deep ball and does a nice job of penetrating to the basket. Miles has the ability to make passes to teammates to create easy baskets. At times, he can improve on seeing the entire floor, but has tremendous upside to his game as he continues to develop.” Beard stood out as one of the more enticing long-term prospects at camp and should return as a leader for Hickory Ridge during his upcoming sophomore season.”
He is doing just that, showing his ability to score all over the floor, using his frame to battle through defenders, and showcasing good athleticism on the court; it is easy to see why he has had such a strong start to the season.
You may also want to keep tabs on 2024 6’5 Haywood Caden as well, as he has been a strong presence around the paint. He is just off a double-double to start the season but has shown how strong of a presence he can be on the boards, averaging 12.1 rebounds per game (including 5.7 offensive rebounds per game). Add that to his 9.6 points per game, Caden continues to build onto his game and is quietly catching some eyes with his presence.
The young sophomores are leading the charge for the team and despite a slow start to the season record wise, this is a program/team to really keep an eye on this year and down the road. It seems that they have more talent coming through the doors to watch.