2024 & 2025 Breakout Candidates
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These 2024s and 2025s have been showing the potential to break out for their high school squads in the upcoming season. From potential stars for their squads to guys who are ready to make the leap to key contributors, these…
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Continue ReadingThese 2024s and 2025s have been showing the potential to break out for their high school squads in the upcoming season. From potential stars for their squads to guys who are ready to make the leap to key contributors, these six are a great mix of guys looking to find their roles and perform at a high level. Here are the six players showing signs of big growth coming and flashed that potential last weekend on the UAA and EYBL circuits.
Dylan Wiggins 6’6 PF Bellarmine Prep 2024 | Team Stuck
I’ve been keeping Wiggins on my radar, waiting for him to come into his own as a player. Now it seems he is starting to crack that potential. He’s starting to look like a player you can send inside and trust he’ll do the rest. He’s a hard worker on both sides of the ball, showing quick feet and a growing awareness that’s quickened his reactions and led to him making more and more plays. He has flashed the potential as a tough defender and rebounder, but his efforts on the offensive end last weekend made me see the future possibility of him being a legit double-double threat. He was doing work from the high post, flashing to zero against zones and either burying the short jumper or finding teammates underneath for quick buckets. He knew where to look, to act quick and decisively, and showed no hesitation in getting his own shot up. If he continues down that path he could be a big contributor for Bellarmine Prep on both sides of the ball and emerge as an inside force in the South Puget Sound League.
Cooper Carlson 6’5 SF Capital 2024 | Team Stuck
I’ll be honest, this was a new name for me, but I’m glad I found him. Carlson added a strong presence inside last weekend, making sound, physical moves with the ball and working to establish good position on both ends of the court. As a big man, it’s not all about just pushing people around and Carlson gets that. He was consistently getting deep position on the blocks so he could be that physical presence inside once the entry pass came in. He used simple but effective moves, power dribbles, and drop steps, which were so effective because of the position he established. Carlson also showed the importance of positioning on the boards. He doesn’t stand in one place and continues to work throughout the entirety of the play. As a result, Carlson snagged a lot of offensive and defensive boards. His continued movement and work around the rim added multiple possessions for his team as well as second-chance points, and limited opportunities for the opposing team.
Quincy Scott Quincy Scott 6'3" | SG Columbia Burbank | 2025 State WA 6’3 SG Columbia Burbank 2025 | Hooptown Elite
For those in the EWAC, and avid 2B basketball fans, last year was really Scott’s breakout year. This year, however, I expect more people to take notice of the emerging hooper out of southeastern Washington. He’s been a beacon of cool confidence for Hooptown Elite, showing the ability to lead by example and let his play do the talking. Scott is a factor across the board, showing a want to get involved in every aspect of the game. He crashes boards and bolts for loose balls, he’s an excellent jump shooter even with good contests, and this last weekend he showed a growing ability to be a playmaker for his teammates. Whether he was at the high post, on the wing, or on the blocks, Scott had vision of the whole court, dropping dimes on time and on target. He led Columbia Burbank to a 24-3 record last season, a district 5 championship, and a sixth place finish at state, their only losses to the eventual third and fourth place finishers. That’s a strong freshman campaign but I expect more for the overlooked guard next season.
Xavier Santana Xavier Santana 6'3" | PG Great Futures Prep | 2025 State WA 6’2 PG Clarkston 2024 | Hooptown Elite
Santana is a worker whose game has continued to prosper from the high school season, through spring, and now the summer. It’s no surprise to people familiar with his game, but that’s the issue – not enough people are talking about the Clarkston baller. His ability to get to the hoop and finish under duress is phenomenal, and probably his best attribute. He can drive with either hand and finish in acrobatic ways, making an attack from just about any angle a possible bucket. At times I thought his three-point shot got away from him but he’s clearly been striving towards an all-around attack and was waxing from three last weekend. With his skill set he has the promise of a pure scorer. That’s not all though, Santana grinds through games, dripping sweat and bringing intensity to both ends of the game. He has the quickness to be a nice on-ball defender and the strength to stay low in his stance throughout the contest. He’s a true two-way threat that brings energy and enthusiasm to the game.
Jace Vanvoorhis Jace Vanvoorhis 6'0" | PG Camas | 2025 State WA 6’0 PG Camas 2025 | Hooptown Elite
Last season I saw glimpses of Vanvoorhis having an impact as a freshman for Camas, a team that went 16-3 and was one of the more talented 4A teams to miss the state tournament. He showed the ability and the confidence to launch from distance, forcing defenses to step out and stretch the floor. This past weekend was my first glimpse of him this summer and I can see the development he’s made towards becoming a full-on point guard. He pushed the ball with intention, going all the way if the defense didn’t step up, and making quick, last-minute dump-off passes if the defender stepped up late. Vanvoorhis is an athletic finisher with good english on his shots and still proved he’s got the range to keep defenses honest. He will be part of a young backcourt next season at Camas but don’t expect a huge drop-off for the Papermakers.
Gelonni “JuJu” Ervin Gelonni “JuJu” Ervin 6'8" | SF North Central | 2025 State #274 Nation WA 6’8 PF North Central 2025 | Elite Basketball Academy
Ervin is one of the most intriguing prospects in the state. The last time I saw him, he was probably 6’4 and playing on the wing. Now, he’s 6’9 and looks like he still has growing to do. Clearly, the size and length are next level and he showed it time and again last weekend with big blocks and dunks. He seems to take pride in defending the rim and thrives on those highlight plays, getting energy from them and showing bursts of being the best player on the floor. The next step for the big man is refining his game. It’s tough to keep everything in sync when you’re growing so fast, but I expect to see Ervin continue to show flashes of being “the guy” on the court. He’s kept his explosiveness to the rim, showing great bursts on alley-oops and breakaway dunks. I will be keeping a close eye on him over the next few years as he has a high, high ceiling.