Updated Rankings - '24 Centers

There is a strong class of Centers in the class of 2024 and we hope to discover a few more this season. Continue further to read about some of them and look for a second article tomorrow. [player_tooltip player_id="167139" first="Ramiya" last="White"] 6’4" Butler White has all the measurables to be a D1 Center but from what I have seen none is more impressive that her mid-range to short-range jumper. While attending a practice it seemed like she never missed during drills and warm-ups. Having that skill means she doesn’t need to dribble to move the ball closer to score and can turn and score after the catch against a zone. She has the post-up game needed to tell Coaches she is ready to begin playing against college defenders and to build on that. She runs the floor with good speed, keeps the ball high, protects the rim, and owns her side of the backboard. Too bad you have to wait two more years for her Coach she is ready now. [player_tooltip player_id="257276" first="Angelina" last="Pelayo"] 6’2" Sacred Heart West Virginia Thunder Pelayo is back and has improved her skills since I last saw her play in the State Tournament. Her strength and improved conditioning will be an important factor in Sacred Hearts’ attempt to win a third straight State Championship. She appears to have slimmed down, perhaps losing some COVID weight, and it gives her the ability to play for longer stretches and get a little closer to the rim. I had no idea she had any weight to lose because she was already in great shape but she is undeniably slimmer around the torso. She has clearly been working on her strength and her ability to catch and keep the ball up high as well. I don’t believe I saw her bring the ball below her head around the rim in the three games I was able to see her play this summer. [player_tooltip player_id="231464" first="Jasmine" last="Jordan"] 6’2" Boyd County Lady Dragons Jordan has more of a finesse, speed-based game but is also able to be tough on the boards and in the paint. This long, smooth athlete is clearly an intelligent player who knows how she needs to move without the ball to be a scoring threat. It isn’t just mastering the offense shifts her team employs. She has good hands for receiving the ball on the move in a basket cut or on the break and the balance needed to finish. She has lots of grace in her game and is the kind of player that evokes the feeling of Classical Dance in the game that is sometimes lost in Modern Basketball. [player_tooltip player_id="328945" first="Brooklyn" last="White"] 6’0" Paris White plays off the ball in the paint and on the wings. She has the skills to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim or pull up for the short jumper. She is very adept at playing through contact. She has an aggressive mentality when she gets the ball but doesn’t try to do too much when the defense takes away a good shot. She runs the floor well and uses her length to be an effective rebounder on both ends of the court. [player_tooltip player_id="259399" first="Katie" last="Marcum"] 5’10" Martin County I need to see Marcum in a less lopsided game in the future to really evaluate her better. What I do know is that she has a strong body and makes very good use of the power dribble to score in the paint. That and averaged close to a double-double last season, 16.2 points and 9 rebounds.

There is a strong class of Centers in the class of 2024 and we hope to discover a few more this season. Continue further to read about some of them and look for a second article tomorrow.

Ramiya White Ramiya White 6'4" | C Butler | 2024 State KY 6’4" Butler

White has all the measurables to be a D1 Center but from what I have seen none is more impressive that her mid-range to short-range jumper.

While attending a practice it seemed like she never missed during drills and warm-ups. Having that skill means she doesn’t need to dribble to move the ball closer to score and can turn and score after the catch against a zone.

She has the post-up game needed to tell Coaches she is ready to begin playing against college defenders and to build on that. She runs the floor with good speed, keeps the ball high, protects the rim, and owns her side of the backboard.

Too bad you have to wait two more years for her Coach she is ready now.

Angelina Pelayo Angelina Pelayo 6'3" | C Sacred Heart | 2024 State KY 6’2" Sacred Heart West Virginia Thunder

Pelayo is back and has improved her skills since I last saw her play in the State Tournament. Her strength and improved conditioning will be an important factor in Sacred Hearts’ attempt to win a third straight State Championship.

She appears to have slimmed down, perhaps losing some COVID weight, and it gives her the ability to play for longer stretches and get a little closer to the rim. I had no idea she had any weight to lose because she was already in great shape but she is undeniably slimmer around the torso.

She has clearly been working on her strength and her ability to catch and keep the ball up high as well. I don’t believe I saw her bring the ball below her head around the rim in the three games I was able to see her play this summer.

Jasmine Jordan Jasmine Jordan 6'2" | C Boyd County | 2024 State KY 6’2" Boyd County Lady Dragons

Jordan has more of a finesse, speed-based game but is also able to be tough on the boards and in the paint. This long, smooth athlete is clearly an intelligent player who knows how she needs to move without the ball to be a scoring threat. It isn’t just mastering the offense shifts her team employs.

She has good hands for receiving the ball on the move in a basket cut or on the break and the balance needed to finish. She has lots of grace in her game and is the kind of player that evokes the feeling of Classical Dance in the game that is sometimes lost in Modern Basketball.

Brooklyn White Brooklyn White 6'0" | C Paris | 2024 State KY 6’0" Paris

White plays off the ball in the paint and on the wings. She has the skills to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim or pull up for the short jumper. She is very adept at playing through contact.

She has an aggressive mentality when she gets the ball but doesn’t try to do too much when the defense takes away a good shot. She runs the floor well and uses her length to be an effective rebounder on both ends of the court.

Katie Marcum Katie Marcum 5'11" | C Marion County | 2024 State KY 5’10" Martin County

I need to see Marcum in a less lopsided game in the future to really evaluate her better. What I do know is that she has a strong body and makes very good use of the power dribble to score in the paint. That and averaged close to a double-double last season, 16.2 points and 9 rebounds.