Just like our 2023 version, the ’24 class will have two parts. Part 1 will be players that are lower on our rankings or unranked and part 2 will be players within the top 10-15 on our board. You can check out our preseason 2024 player rankings in the tweet below.
Name – Position – School (Wake Hoops class ranking)
Tye Cain – Guard – Green Level (HM)
Tye is a strong and capable ball handler who had limited production last season at Green Level. With two starting guards graduating, Tye will be the next man up. What sticks out about Tye is his confidence with the ball in his hands, the ability to keep the ball moving, and his talent for finding and exploiting openings in the defense. Tye is shifty and smart, which leads to him creating open looks for himself and his teammates using both his dribbling and his passing. He is also a talented outside shooter that should see a huge increase in production and efficiency in that this year. Tye is a bit undersized but doesn’t give up size on the defensive end, playing an aggressive and physical brand of on-ball defense. Tye scored 11 points and got starter minutes in the Gator’s playoff loss to Jordan. I expect that kind of usage and production to be an indicator of what is to come this season.
Jay Wooden – Wing – Willow Spring (HM)
Jay is a microwave scoring wing for the Storm that had a solid ’21-’22 season as the clear third option for the first-year program. Jay will have a jump in usage this year with BJ Brooks transferring to CFCA. Jay is a serious threat to score in bunches and once he gets hot, he is hard to stop. He is supremely confident and has a variety of ways to hit jumpers or finish through contact. He also has shown a lot of promise as a steal magnet on defense. He has great ball instincts and gets a lot of steals/deflections on and off the ball. Jay is the clear number two behind Viktor Alao and we should expect him to flourish in his off-ball scorer role.
Patrick Dalton – Forward – Sanderson (UNR)
Patrick was a consistent presence for a young Sanderson team last season. He played a lot of minutes and impressed me as a decision-maker both on and off the ball. While watching film on his teammate Nathan Fife, Patrick made me a fan of him with his high IQ and his ability to limit his mistakes in every part of the game. He is a good outside shooter and Sanderson runs a few sets for him to get those looks. He has a high amount of confidence and poise which is scarce for sophomores that have high usage. This season he will be a team leader and a guy that is looked to as the second option offensively. Look for him to make minimal mistakes while quietly impacting both ends of the floor at a high level.
Jared Bush – Guard – Heritage (UNR)
Jared is a strong-bodied and lightning-quick guard for a young and rebuilt Heritage program. At just 5’10” Jared is a matchup nightmare for other guards because of his strong frame and elite speed. Very few other guards in the state have the strength and speed combination to match him when he gets downhill. As for his skillset, Jared has a steady presence as a ball handler and can handle pressure well. He is also a very good decision-maker and reads defenses at a high level. Jared shot well from 3 on low volume so I’m optimistic that he will be a threat from deep this year. With Justin Monden graduating and taking his 24 ppg with him, there is a gigantic hole for both scoring and ball handling. I am looking at Jared to dominate at least the lead guard duties, while also upping his scoring production considerably.
Josh Alford – Wing – Southeast Raleigh (UNR)
Josh is an aggressive and skilled wing that played a big role for a young SE Raleigh team last season. Josh is a top 3 returner in points, rebounds, and assists. Josh plays on the wing but operates inside the arc as 80% of his shot attempts last year were from 2. He has a nice mid-range game involving floaters and pull-ups and combines that with strong and aggressive drives at the rim. I think that Josh will come into his own this year as an off-the-ball scorer and that is why we are keeping an eye on him. Josh is going to be a part of a big three this season with himself, Immanuel McClain, and Ethan Reid. Josh will be extremely important for the Bulldogs’ chances of eclipsing 10 wins in a season for the first time in 6 years.