Season Preview: 2025 Guards to Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Basketball is a famed and fabled tradition across North Carolina. And it will not be long before those many courts across the Hoop State once again become the focal point of many sports aficionados.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Teams from one end of the state to the other want what those such as Cherokee, West Rowan, North Pitt and Rolesville accomplished last season – state championships. As we preview the upcoming 2024-25 season, we will profile several noteworthy standouts that will be key factors in their respective teams' journey to state glory.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Without further ado, here are a few senior guards that are sure to end their careers at the high school level with an emphatic exclamation point.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["275249"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6713d70e88942"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Sears is not only the No. 1 rated senior guard per the Prep Girls Hoops 2025 rankings, she is the top-rated player in said rankings. Prior to when she begins her collegiate journey at Virginia Tech, Sears will have one more go-round with a Watauga team that is among the favorites to win it all in 4A play this season. There are many reasons as to why the 5-foot-9 combo guard for the Pioneers was on the Hokies' radar – including her 3-point shooting ability and her ability to create space to find open looks. Last season, she averaged 23.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["499724"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6713d70e889a4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Wes Moore, head coach at NC State has done it again. Jernigan has been heralded as one of the premier shooters in the nation and she will bring her top-tier long range prowess to the Wolfpack next season. Last season, she averaged 19 points and 3.6 rebounds for a Villains team that concluded the 2023-24 campaign with a 25-5 record in addition to going perfect 12-0 against conference opponents. It was in the AAU realm where she wore the uniform of [program_tooltip program_id='713528' first='Winston-Salem' last='Stealers']. Her high school career has included claiming a 1A state championship with Bishop McGuinness at the end of the 2022-23 season. That victory over Chatham Charter took place on the very same NC State court where she will call home for four years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["300653"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6713d70e889e7"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The name [player_tooltip player_id='300653' first='Caitlyn' last='Jones'] rings a loud bell to us here at Prep Girls Hoops. We remember how Jones' heroics were so instrumental in leading Rolesville to victory in last season's 4A state championship matchup over Charlotte Catholic. Last season's victory at Wake Forest's Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum gave her good feelings about the Demon Deacons. Jones announced this past summer that she would commit to the Demon Deacons for her collegiate career. She averaged 23.1 points, 4.8 assists, 4.3 rebounds and four steals last season for the Rams – including a 27-point performance in last season's 4A state game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["569643"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6713d70e88a32"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Stone is set for one more go-round sporting the navy blue, cardinal red and Vegas gold of 4A Mallard Creek. When she begins her collegiate foray, she will wear a different shade of blue – that of the Delaware Blue Hens. Stone led the Mavericks to a 26-4 record and posted averages of 14.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.3 steals per game last season in 19 games. Her AAU career included a stint with [program_tooltip program_id='713538' first='Carolina' last='Flames']. Stone has the distinction of being able to play at the two despite having a 5-foot-10 stature that is more commonly found in many frontcourt players. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->