NCISAA 4A- Who To Watch?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The NCISAA is full of powerhouses, and so many teams in this division have talented players on their rosters. However, today's article will focus on the biggest contenders to win the class this year, and who will drive these teams to success.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Carmel Christian- [player_tooltip player_id='1127312' first='Jaeden' last='Mustaf'] is new to North Carolina, coming from Maryland, but will be counted on to lead this Carmel Christian team who has somehow put together a more talented group than last year's. Mustaf is a hard-nosed wing who looks to attack the rim on offense and hound opposing wings on defense. [player_tooltip player_id='854884' first='Bryce' last='Cash'] is one of the best defenders in the state and the national class who has added some more scoring pop to his arsenal. Expect wherever he ends up to have a multiple time conference All-Defense team member on their hands. There is not a team with as much individual defensive talent in this class and maybe the state as these two bring. Michael Marcus and [player_tooltip player_id='1142620' first='Kaleb' last='Siler'] will either play as a Twin Towers pairing in the post or rotate in and out for each other, but both are very talented bigs who will make an impact down low. The biggest question is where the scoring and shooting comes from, but [player_tooltip player_id='1278827' first='Khamani' last='Wertz'] will be able to help make drain some lefty 3 pointers this year for the Cougars. This team may not score the ball as much as last year, but their defense will be able to contain almost any team in the country. They're the surefire favorites of this group.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Greensboro Day- This storied program has produced yet another Power 5 recruit, this time in Virginia Tech commit [player_tooltip player_id='577888' first='Jaydon' last='Young']. He will be once again a top scorer in North Carolina, with his ability to do it all at every level on the floor. [player_tooltip player_id='854907' first='William' last='Otto'] is an interesting name to watch as a newcomer to the program; he's always making the right decision and getting his teammates open, and <strong>Julius Reese</strong> will be counted on as the gritty, defensive stopper that every team needs in their guard or wing group. <strong>Joseph Bachmann</strong> is a rugged 4/5 who will do a little bit of everything as the interior man; block shots, rebound, and score in the post. 2026 <strong>Kohl Strickland</strong> and 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='1411216' first='Jagger' last='Emerson'] are two names to mark down on your watchlist; they look to be the future of the program down the road. This team continues to boast talent and when you're coached by legend Freddy Johnson, you always have to be counted on to be a favorite.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Providence Day- Providence Day will be playing through the middle this year in the form of Western Kentucky commit [player_tooltip player_id='1180816' first='Riley' last='Allenspach'], who is a highly mobile big who can shoot it from beyond the arc. Supporting him is fellow C-USA signee [player_tooltip player_id='854899' first='Trey' last='Horton'], who is headed to UTEP. Horton is good on the ball and even better without it, knowing where to be in the flow of an offense and executing what he needs to execute, whether that be a pass, jumper, or finish at the rim [player_tooltip player_id='1336430' first='Nick' last='Hailey'] is another wing to watch for them, as a do it all kind of wing that is extremely skilled offensively and provides athleticism to boot. This triple threat should be enough to help Providence Day challenge for a conference title and state title this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cannon- The Cannon School posts some high level talent on the younger end of things in [player_tooltip player_id='1030010' first='Austin' last='Swartz'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1226605' first='Isaiah' last='Henry'], who will be exciting to watch in the future. Swartz projects as a 2 guard who has a knack for scoring the ball at a high level and is now being recruited by lots of ACC and SEC schools. Henry is more of a 1 or a combo guard who is more creator than scorer, but that doesn't mean he can't get his. He is a threat from behind the arc and is not afraid to go scorer at the rim against bigger forwards. [player_tooltip player_id='1105008' first='Jaylen' last='Claggett'] is a 3 and D guard at the next level who always steps out on the court ready to go and will provide a bit of dog for this squad. A name to watch from their younger guys is 2026 <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2740332' first='Kenan' last='Dixon']</strong>, another guard who has great ball handling and passing skills, and will project as a lead guard in the near future. The sky is the limit if all their talent can come together and they use all of their quality guards to their maximum potential.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Charlotte Latin- One of the most underrated guys in this 2023 class at the guard spot is [player_tooltip player_id='1219884' first='Ned' last='Hull']. He may not have the high level upside that others do, but Hull is going to be a stud at whichever D3 program he ends up at. He is a plus plus shooter who also exhibits the ability to make reads and plays for others and will be key to what the Hawks do as a squad this year. Wing [player_tooltip player_id='854915' first='Sean' last='Rose'] is a high academic player and provides a defensive ability needed by this team to guard the opponents best wing or big every night. Latin is a well coached squad with a lot of guys who are great playing as a unit, and while there may not be as much talent compared to other teams on this list, their ability to work together and be cohesive always means their in store for a successful year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Charlotte Country Day- All of these 4A schools are being found up and down the I-85 corridor, and for good reason; it's where the talent is located. The Bucs host a deep group of D1 through D3 guys and are a group with great culture and heart. The two most talented guys on this roster are [player_tooltip player_id='1029968' first='Amare' last='Bethel'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1059723' first='Dallas' last='Gardner']. We talked about Bethel a couple weeks ago, and we truly expect to see his ability as a floor general and a transition scorer to break through this year. Gardner is another great finisher, athlete and defender that can play the 2 guard and wing spots. <strong>Fletcher Bigham</strong> and <strong>AJ Hewitt</strong> will be two bigs that excel at the D3 level. Hewitt is more of a hybrid wing that can play the 4 and 5, and will be able to rebound and work down low. Bigham will play out of the mid-post and shoot behind the line and is a well rounded scorer. However, this team runs because of [player_tooltip player_id='1059727' first='Carter' last='Alessi'] and <strong>Sam Turner</strong>. Both are defensive-oriented guards that are high character, IQ, and culture guys for this team. With this depth and experience, expect CCDS to be a contender for this class title.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Check back later this week as we begin to break down the NCHSAA divisions for this upcoming year!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->