2024 Potential Breakout Prospects

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>High school basketball lends itself perfectly to breakout seasons from players. With so many teams and conferences from state-to-state, there's bound to be a number of breakout players as a result. That's especially true in New Jersey, where we see breakout stars year after year. Here are some candidates from the Class of 2024 who fit the billing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='488873' first='Alyssa' last='Cueto'] - 5-5 PG/SG, Union City</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cueto, currently a watch list player for our 2024 prospect list, is someone who impressed on both sides of the ball. Despite her size, she's aggressive on the boards and defending on the perimeter. Shooting and passing will come, the passing being an impressive part of her game so far. Playing on a team like Union City, with three major seniors gone, they'll look to Cueto to fill the void.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='489497' first='Nakayia' last='Fields'] - PG, Bogota</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bogota is a team that struggled last season and is coming into this season without Ashley Bautista, who graduated in the spring. That leaves Fields and fellow junior [player_tooltip player_id='489498' first='Makayla' last='Douglas'] as the two playmakers for this year's team. Fields is going to be relied upon more and should produce more as a result. She was sneaky good last season, averaging over 10 PPG in 13 games played. Over the course of a full season, that should translate well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='488770' first='Mady' last='Maronski'] - C/SG, Haddon Township</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kayleigh Armstrong is gone for Haddon Township, a massive blow for the Hawks, but Maronski and [player_tooltip player_id='481540' first='Sara' last='Wiedeman'] return for this season. Maronski is the player we'll be focusing on as most likely the presence in the middle for the Hawks. She's definitely shown great improvement in her strength and aggression defensively and already operated exclusively inside the perimeter last season. That should be expected once more this season, but we look to see how she can build on it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='488652' first='Tori' last='Archer'] - PF, Roselle Catholic</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Archer is an interesting case as Roselle Catholic has a strong young roster coming back this season, with two 2025 prospects showing out on the floor in [player_tooltip player_id='414348' first='Gabby' last='Brown'] and [player_tooltip player_id='414347' first='Jasmin' last='McKay']. However, both of them are guards whereas Archer is a forward. Last year's main forward, Amaris Jenkins, graduated, leaving the door wide open for Archer to step in the middle and dominate. The scoring needs to improve, but her defensive skills speak for themselves.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='488772' first='Julianna' last='DiFebbo'] - SF, West Deptford</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>DiFebbo has an open look as a forward this season for West Deptford with Olivia Magee having graduated in the spring. Most likely, the Eagles will rely on senior [player_tooltip player_id='481543' first='Sophia' last='Belbin'] as the main power forward this season, but DiFebbo is not only a bigger body, but she can shoot from the perimeter. There are a few good shooters on this West Deptford team, but DiFebbo provides a post presence and a perimeter presence in one player, a versatile asset to have for this season and one that will be utilized often.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='488651' first='Sara' last='Rooney'] - PG/SG, Westfield</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Westfield is coming off a state championship without two of its best players in Grace Klag and Chloe Kreusser. Kreusser's graduation has left a spot open in the backcourt for Westfield, one that [player_tooltip player_id='321573' first='Annie' last='Ryan'] has already been penciled into. The other spot, that's now open for Rooney, someone who was a backup guard, a bench option for Westfield last season. She's going to be asked upon to run the offense quite a bit and be a leader as the one running the point. Playing next to Ryan should help immensely.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='488774' first='Destiny' last='Wallace'] - PF/SF, Vineland</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wallace has found herself in an ideal position to succeed this season as two senior forwards have graduated from last year's roster. That essentially leaves her as the main frontcourt option for Vineland coming into the year, something that she has to be more than prepared for. A solid defender, Wallace will need to put in work in the battle on the boards as well as on the post. She'll be asked of to be a shot-blocker, the last level of defense for the Fighting Clan. From what we've seen, she's more than capable of filling that void.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->