Freshman/Rising Sophomores in NC to Watch
To be able to not only make your school’s varsity team and actually get some playing time is an enormous feat but to actually contribute and become a valuable part of that team speaks volumes to that player’s skill, confidence…
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Continue ReadingTo be able to not only make your school’s varsity team and actually get some playing time is an enormous feat but to actually contribute and become a valuable part of that team speaks volumes to that player’s skill, confidence and work ethic especially when you consider they are freshmen. These freshmen made big impacts on their teams and in some cases even led their teams and for those reasons they are must-watch players for the next season and seasons to come.
Miya Giles-Jones Miya Giles-Jones 6'1" | SF Terry Sanford | 2023 State NC – 5’10” Guard- E.E. Smith High School– Leads this talented freshman/rising sophomore class and her talent at such a young age is nothing short of impressive. She is a blend of good size and athleticism not usually seen in a player this young. She is fundamentally sound, she shoots it well and finishes strong around the rim, handles the ball and even defends well. What makes her stand out the most is that she is doing this on a team that was 30-0 and in the state championship game and some of her biggest games were in big-time games including scoring 26 in the state semifinals and averaging a double-double during the state playoffs. This shows her maturity, her poise and confidence to perform at such an early age and shows she has that “It” factor that separates the good players from the great players and she is definitely going to be one of the latter. For the season she averaged 14 points and 10 rebounds a game to go along with 3 steals and this led to her being honored as a member of the 3rd Team All-State team, the only freshman on either list, as well as POY and All-District honors to name a few. It’s hard to believe she has three more years of high school basketball remaining and to think about how good she will be when her high school career is over. One thing for sure if there was such a thing as coming out of high school early to go to college she would be one of the ones that could make that transition with ease.
Caroline Thiel-5’11” Forward- Rocky Mount High School– The skills exhibited by this player makes anyone that knows basketball stand up and take notice and then when you realize that she is just a freshman now you are left with that open mouth head-scratching look and wow is just not enough. Her offensive skills are just something to marvel at, she scores with ease in the post, where she has super hands and great footwork, and despite her small frame she is at home there. Then she shoots the ball extremely well with great shooting touch and form and from mid-range or from deep she is money. She is just as good in transition and runs the floor well even at her size and finishes with ease and grace around the rim. Even more impressive is her knowledge of the game, she just knows how to play the game she is usually never out of position and just tends to be in the right place at the right time and making the right play more often than not. Watching her play you have to keep reminding yourself she is just a freshman as you watch her finish with her left hand, or execute a great up and under move or just watching her play hard and her toughness. She was able to lead her team into the state playoffs and averaged a double-double for the season with 17 points and 12 rebounds a game and an impressive 2.5 blocks a game to show off her all-around skills. Her honors include being named to the 1st Team All-District team as well as the All-Conference team. I can’t even begin to imagine how good she is going to be her senior year but like many of the North Carolina girls’ high school basketball fans we are going to enjoy watching her growth. I am sure we won’t be alone as all the Division 1 programs will be watching as well and working for her signature when the time comes.
Brecken Snotherly-5’10” Forward- Eastern Randolph High School– Learning to be a scorer is something that takes players years to develop and some will get there and be a good scorer but then there are some that will work harder and excel at it and become an elite scorer. I have watched and coached and trained a lot of scorers in the past but I have rarely seen a player as a freshman already exhibit a scorers mentality with the necessary skills but Brecken is that rare player. This young lady can flat out score no questions asked she does it with ease whether it’s putting the ball on the floor and getting to the rim or pulling up she’s got that, whether it long-range shooting standstill or off the bounce, which is really tough to do, she’s got that, whether it’s in transition or off a screen or in the post she’s got that too. What really separates her from other players is that she has that scorers attitude and believes she can score at will, a belief that her next shot is going in, and the hardest thing to teach any player, let along a young player, not to get down on herself if she is shooting bad she just keeps playing and shooting that is what is going to make her special. In her freshman year she posted numbers that even a senior would be proud to post as she averaged 18 points and 6 rebounds a game which are crazy numbers for any player let alone a freshman and this led to 2nd Team All-District and All-Conference honors. As she matures and gets stronger and quicker and as she gets more experience in playing games and as she gets out and plays against some of the best players in NC and the US she is only going to get better and improve. As her skills sharpen and the other areas of her game improve there is no doubt she is going to be playing her college career at one of the powerhouses Division 1 program but in the meantime let’s just enjoy her high school career.
Hadleigh Dill- 6’0 Forward- Enka High School– One of the best-kept secrets in North Carolina basketball resides in a small place but that in no way takes away from her huge talent. Hadleigh is one of those complete basketball players that even though she is young her skill level is already noticeable. Though her skills will continue to improve at the moment she has a vast array of basketball skills, she is a tremendous shooter from the range with her feet set she is about as good as it gets as a knockdown shooter, she handles the ball well enough to allow her to create her own shots and also her passing talent gets her teammates involved. She is also solid in what I call a lost art and that is the pull up jump shot and she is accurate and solid in that area. Defensively she is improved and understands defensive schemes and how and where to be also she is solid as a rebounder. It is hard to call a freshman a complete player as she is so young and is still developing her skills and her physique but the more I watch her that is just the way I describe her she is just a complete player who plays the game hard and smart. Her 14 point and 9 rebound game average are above-average numbers for a first-year varsity player and enabled her to be honored as a 2nd Team All-District and All-Conference honor player. Once you have the skill set she has all that is left is to improve on each one and to make her weakness her strengths and to get out and challenge the best players whenever she gets the opportunity because that will only improve her already strong skill set. Her ceiling is very high and as she progresses through her remaining high school years she will become more and more regarded as one of NC elite players and there will be a lot of Division 1 programs that will be making their way to Enka, NC because of this talented player and they will not be disappointed.
Kyla Bryant Kyla Bryant 5'8" | CG Salisbury | 2023 State NC – 5’8” Guard- Salisbury High School-This freshman is the testament to being a coach’s kid. By this I mean this player has a very high basketball IQ that comes from being around the game through being around their father and the gym. She is a gym rat and because of that she has extensive knowledge of how to play the game, where and when to be and what to do when you get there and this shows so much in her play. She is a very good ball-handler and passer which explains her being touted as one of the top guards in her class in the state. Her shooting ability is noticeable as well both mid-range and shooting the 3 point shot and this will only improve as she plays more games and physically gets stronger. Of course being a smart player means she is great on the defensive end as well but what is more impressive is her leadership abilities not usually seen in a young player at this stage of their career. This year on a talented team she was able to average 13 points and 5 rebounds a game and her honors included a spot on the 2nd Team All-District team. When you know the game as well as this player you are already ahead of most players and as she improves her basketball skills she will be in no doubt one of those players that will have the Division 1 coaches spending a lot of time in the gyms of North Carolina for the next few years.