With private schools officially starting practice yesterday and public schools starting tryouts tomorrow, this week is a great time to start really diving into what the 2024-25 season will look like in the triangle. Yesterday, I gave my reaction and thoughts on the Wake Hoops Preseason Coaches Poll and today I’m going to give a list of sophomore prospects who I believe will enjoy a breakout year.
6’2” Ty Lange (Cardinal Gibbons)
Lange had a strong freshman season for a dominant Cardinal Gibbons JV team before having a quietly productive summer for WCBA 15u. His positional size, shooting ability, and feel for the game make him an immediate threat to produce this season. The Crusaders will need a handful of young, unproven players to step into significant roles this year and Lange feels like a prime candidate for that. He had a good June live period, shining as a shooter and secondary ball handler. Not only do I expect him to break out onto the Raleigh scene this year, I also expect him to be a statewide name sooner rather than later.
6’2” DJ West (Trinity Academy)
West’s development arch has been interesting to follow as I feel he’s someone who will continue to progress long after his peers have plateaued. In saying that, it almost feels a year too early to call him a breakout candidate, but given his size, productive skill set, and usage outlook, I still feel confident in having him on this list. He’ll be one of the best shooters in the triangle on a team with a lot to prove after the Tigers had a rare down year last season. I don’t believe that he’s fully unlocked his physical tools yet and should be someone who gets better as the season goes along.
6’1” Nylan Rush (Leesville Road)
Rush, similar to Lange, is a name who I feel is overdue for area-wide attention. He had a productive freshman year within a limited role for the Pride and should step into a larger workload as a sophomore. He’s a twitchy athlete with a unique handle and can create space for himself or others with relative ease. He’s a quality scorer at all three levels and should see an uptick in production this year. His ability to create for himself makes him an enticing prospect and, should he get the opportunities, I think he’ll have a handful of scoring outbursts this season and be a key piece on an underrated Leesville Road team.
5’8” Brody Watkins (Rolesville)
Watkins is one of my personal favorite guards in the area simply because of how tough he is. He impacts winning as much as anyone around him and simply makes the game easy for his teammates. He’s incredibly scrappy, handles pressure well, and has good passing vision. Given that his production is reliant on effort and decision-making, it seems increasingly likely that he’ll have a consistently positive season. Rolesville is undergoing a youth movement and Watkins’ playmaking ability is an integral part of it.
6’5” Stevie Reel (Holly Springs)
Similar to Rush, Reel is a player who earned limited varsity minutes as a freshman and should step into a larger role this year as a sophomore. At 6’5”, his versatility will be an asset to the Golden Hawks as he can play 3-5 on both ends. He’s improved his perimeter skill set which should only compliment his interior footwork, motor, and touch. He’ll be a bit of an x-factor for Holly Springs and it’ll be interesting to track his progression as he gets tasked with more and more responsibility this season.