2024 Potential Breakout Prospects
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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…
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Continue ReadingHigh 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.
Alyssa Cueto Alyssa Cueto 5'5" | CG Union City | 2024 State NJ – 5-5 PG/SG, Union City
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.
Nakayia Fields Nakayia Fields PG Bogota | 2024 NJ – PG, Bogota
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 Makayla Douglas Makayla Douglas PF Bogota | 2024 State NJ 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.
Mady Maronski Mady Maronski SF Haddon Township | 2024 NJ – C/SG, Haddon Township
Kayleigh Armstrong is gone for Haddon Township, a massive blow for the Hawks, but Maronski and Sara Wiedeman Sara Wiedeman 5'4" | PG Haddon Township | 2023 State NJ 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.
Tori Archer Tori Archer PF Roselle Catholic | 2024 NJ – PF, Roselle Catholic
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 Gabby Brown Gabby Brown SG Roselle Catholic | 2025 NJ and Jasmin McKay Jasmin McKay 5'5" | CG Roselle Catholic | 2025 State NJ . 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.
Julianna DiFebbo Julianna DiFebbo SF West Deptford | 2024 State NJ – SF, West Deptford
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 Sophia Belbin Sophia Belbin C West Deptford | 2023 State NJ 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.
Sara Rooney Sara Rooney PG Westfield | 2024 State NJ – PG/SG, Westfield
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 Annie Ryan Annie Ryan 5'8" | SG Westfield | 2023 State NJ 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.
Destiny Wallace Destiny Wallace SF Wildwood Catholic Academy | 2024 State NJ – PF/SF, Vineland
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.