Updated Top Five 2024 Prospects
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If you have not seen it yet, Prep Girls Hoops New Jersey has released its updated 2024 class prospect rankings list. More than 30 new players were added to the list, bringing it to a total of 82 prospects. As…
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Continue ReadingIf you have not seen it yet, Prep Girls Hoops New Jersey has released its updated 2024 class prospect rankings list. More than 30 new players were added to the list, bringing it to a total of 82 prospects. As we begin our coverage on the list, we’ll start by talking about the top five prospects in the 2024 class as ranked by PGH NJ.
1. Mikayla Blakes Mikayla Blakes 5'8" | SG Rutgers Prep | 2024 State NJ – 5-8 SG, Rutgers Prep
Blakes takes the top spot for us, retaining that from the last PGH NJ update of this list and for good reason. She became the backbone of a strong Argonauts team that won a state title and found its way into the Tournament of Champions final against St. John Vianney. Blakes is a do-everything kind of guard and excels at shooting the three, knocking down roughly two a game. She complements her offensive game well with passing and on the defensive end, rebounding and steals. She’s turned the corner as a lock-down perimeter defender and that’s helped add to her overall play.
2. Tayla Thomas Tayla Thomas 6'4" | SF IMG Academy | 2024 State FL – 6-4 PF/C, Montclair Immaculate
When you think of the best bigs in the state, Thomas is one of the first names that comes to mine. Standing at 6-4, she’s one of the tallest in the state and off the bat, that gives her a natural size advantage and creates natural mismatches. It’s contributed to Thomas averaging a double-double this season for the first time in her career. She plays aggressive in the lane and can afford to take risks as a big, which often times will benefit her. Her shot-blocking might be the star of the show in the end as her length allows her to get to many more shots and has contributed to a number of blocks and deflections on the year.
3. Rhian Stokes Rhian Stokes 5'8" | PG Ewing | 2024 State NJ – PG, Ewing
Ewing had a dominant season, reaching the semis of the Group 3 state tournament after winning the Central Jersey Group 3 crown. Stokes was one of the anchors of this team that really bolstered the Blue Devils as a whole. She’s the only player in the state averaging at least 7 RPG and 6.5 APG along with her 18.6 PPG. As a sophomore, putting up near triple-double numbers and recording two during the season, shows how well-rounded of a player she is. Also, she’s nearly averaging a quadruple-double as she’s recording 7.6 SPG. Those are eye-popping numbers for a player who had made tremendous strides as a sophomore.
4. Cristina Parrella Cristina Parrella 5'10" | SG Saddle River Day | 2024 State NJ – 5-9 SG, Demarest
You are looking at one of the best three-point shooters, if not the best three-point shooter in New Jersey in Parrella. Last season, she knocked down nearly three a game, averaging 17.7 PPG overall and is a gifted scorer. Parrella ranks toward the top of the list when it comes to elite pure scorers in North Jersey. Her game is played beyond the perimeter, where roughly half of her scoring came as a sophomore. Parrella has a quick release and a smooth, effortless shooting motion. Her range rivals just about anyone in the state, which has made her such a dominant player overall.
4. Taylor Derkack Taylor Derkack 6'0" | SF Colonia | 2024 State NJ – 6-0 SF, Colonia
Derkack might have had the best season of any player in the history of Colonia girls basketball, posting a double-double along with 3.6 APG and 5.2 SPG. She recorded a triple-double toward the end of the regular season and 22 double-doubles on the year. Derkack boxed out as well as anyone in the state and controls the lane well on both sides of the ball. She welcomes contact and finishes tough through traffic. We saw her expand her range further to three-point land a lot in her final eight games, knocking down over two threes a game in that span. If she can keep that pace up along with her incredible inside game, she’s going to be a nightmare in the Greater Middlesex Conference.
5. Cristina Parrella Cristina Parrella 5'10" | SG Saddle River Day | 2024 State NJ – 5-9 SG, Demarest
You are looking at one of the best three-point shooters, if not the best three-point shooter in New Jersey in Parrella. Last season, she knocked down nearly three a game, averaging 17.7 PPG overall and is a gifted scorer. Parrella ranks toward the top of the list when it comes to elite pure scorers in North Jersey. Her game is played beyond the perimeter, where roughly half of her scoring came as a sophomore. Parrella has a quick release and a smooth, effortless shooting motion. Her range rivals just about anyone in the state, which has made her such a dominant player overall.