Team: Cleveland
Last Year’s Record: 15-11 overall/ 5-7 conference
A program that will have plenty of eyes on them this season will be the Rams of Cleveland High School. There will be a lot of changes around this team from last year’s team, with key seniors now gone from a team that went 15-11 overall and were key pieces. However, they still have a rising star to lead the charge and will look for others to step up.
When you start talking about Cleveland, though, 2028 Tjay Brunson is going to be the guy once again. Coming off a sophomore season in which he led the team with 21.3ppg, 8.4rpg, 2.2apg, and 1.6 apg, Brunson proved to be an impact player all around and a rising star in the state of North Carolina. Ranked as a Top 5 prospect by Phenom Hoops, Brunson’s size, athleticism, and motor clearly stand out and allow him to operate/be impactful in so many areas. He can score off the bounce and finishes at the rim with authority. He uses that same athleticism and motor to outwork opponents on the glass, and has continued to show an expanded game. It is why he holds over 12 D1 offers from schools all around, and that list may only continue to grow with another strong junior season.
2028 Nat Johnson played 21 games last season and was able to bring value, averaging 5.5 points per game. But they will need him to step up and be a stronger scoring presence, shining more as a primary guard that can create, facilitate, and make plays all around. And then you look at 2029 Jeremiah Edwards, who transferred over to the program over the summer and is coming off a season in which he averaged nearly 30 points per game. The top-scoring freshman from last season will be a huge boost for this team, giving the Rams two strong weapons inside and out, while allowing the others to fill in around them.
Brunson and Edwards will be huge this season, as they could make up one of the top duos in the state of North Carolina. With Brunson leading the way and Edwards adding another dangerous scoring threat, Cleveland has the potential to field one of North Carolina’s most productive duos. Johnson’s growth and the supporting cast’s ability to embrace larger roles will be key as the Rams replace last year’s seniors. If this group builds chemistry and finds consistent contributions around its top weapons, Cleveland could improve on last season’s record and become a tough matchup in conference play and beyond.