CAP-6 Conference 2023-24 Preview
The CAP-6 was the best top-to-bottom conference in the triangle last season, with every member making a playoff appearance and totaling four wins between them. Now with 12 of last season’s all-conference selections graduated and a cloud of uncertainty over the perceived depth of each team, look for the conference to collectively take a step back and for new, young faces to emerge.
Preseason Poll
Preseason All-Conference Teams
Preseason Awards
Player of the Year: Nathan Fife | Sanderson | 6’1” | Jr.
Fife was the 2022-23 CAP-6 Player of the Year after having a monster season where he led Sanderson to 2nd place in the conference after being picked last in the preseason. Coming into this season, expectations for both Sanderson and Fife are higher, but his incredible production and assumed increase in efficiency make him the clear choice for this award going into the season.
HM: Cash McSweeney | Cardinal Gibbons | 6’8” | Jr.
Defensive Player of the Year: Gift Moses | Enloe | 6’6” | Sr.
This was a pretty wide-open award with about a half dozen names staking a real claim in it. Moses ultimately came away with it, given that he won it last season and is going to be maybe the most valuable defender to their team’s success in the conference. Look for him to do virtually everything within the Enloe defense and play a giant role in their success on that end of the floor.
HM: Marcus Green | Athens Drive | 6’1” | So.
Newcomer of the Year: Griffin Cockerham | Cardinal Gibbons | 6’4” | Fr.
With no key transfers joining the conference this season, it only makes sense that this award goes to a freshman. It'll be a tight race between the deep crop of freshmen, with Cockerham being the safest choice to produce on day one.
HM: Ty Lange | Cardinal Gibbons | 6’2” | Fr.
HM: Nylan Rush | Leesville Road | 5’10” | Fr.
Freshman of the Year: Griffin Cockerham | Cardinal Gibbons | 6’4” | Fr.
The CAP-6 has a sneaky deep freshman class but arguably none are more ready to impact winning on the varsity level than Cardinal Gibbons’ Griffin Cockerham. He’s a versatile athlete, able to play the wing or in the post, filling whatever role Coach Nolan sees fit. His physicality and promising skillet make him a safe bet to contribute early.
HM: Ty Lange | Cardinal Gibbons | 6’2” | Fr.
HM: Nylan Rush | Leesville Road | 5’10” | Fr.
Coach of the Year: Roy Roberson | Sanderson | 2nd Season
Roberson won Wake Hoops Coach of the Year last season, leading Sanderson from outside of the top 16 in the preseason to a playoff win. He has some of the best sets, some of the smartest players, and one of the most cohesive units in the triangle. He’s able to get the absolute maximum out of his players in a way that very few coaches in the state can do.
HM: Brent Nolan | Cardinal Gibbons | 3rd Season
1) Cardinal Gibbons
2) Sanderson
2022-23: 19-8 (6-4), 2nd in CAP-6, 2nd Round of Playoffs (L to Richmond 64-74)
Key Losses
Tommy Lyon - 11p, 2r, 2a, 1s, 59 3pm - Graduated
Jay Peterson - 7p, 6r - Graduated
Charles Sledge - 3p, 1r, 1s - Graduated
Jacob Mares - 1p, 1r - Graduated
Key Returners
Nathan Fife - Jr - 21p, 6r, 5a, 2s, 36 3pm - 2022-23 CAP-6 POY
Patrick Dalton - Sr - 10p, 5r, 1a, 45 3pm
Gordie Balas - Jr - 5p, 4r, 1a, 1s
Benjamin Ellison - Jr - 1p, 2r
Key Newcomers
Kendrick Pulley - Fr
Will Mills - Fr
Deep Dive
Sanderson will once again rely heavily on junior Nathan Fife (see Player of the Year). He once again projects to have a high usage rate, although it should be less than last season as he has more play creation help this season. It’ll be interesting to see how Coach Roberson uses him this year with more on-ball threats around him. It’s very possible that we see him in more off-ball actions this season, which should unlock a new dimension of their offense where he can leverage his shooting gravity to create openings for teammates.
The clip above is a perfect example of how running Fife off the ball can create openings. He does a great job of using the screen and forces a long closeout, causing the defender to jump at his pump-fake (which is rational given his shooting prowess). In just two dribbles, Fife finds himself a short and easy floater. You can notice how much stress he puts on defenses with all five defenders having at least one foot in the paint as he goes to shoot, leaving three high-level shooters wide open on the perimeter who Fife, if his shot wasn’t there, would’ve had no trouble finding for a three.
The main supporting pieces around Fife will be senior Patrick Dalton and junior Gordie Balas. Dalton should see his production take a leap after his averages have hovered around 10p and 5r over the last two seasons. This team needs him to take the next step as a volume off-ball scoring option and a versatile defender in order to build on last season’s success. He had just three games last season of 15+ points and Sanderson won all three. In his sophomore season (2021-22), the Spartans were 3-3 in those such games, a far cry from their 4-14 record in games where he didn’t hit that mark. While the sample size is small, it’s clear that his team is better when he’s scoring more. With Lyon and Peterson graduated, look for Dalton to have to step up into a bigger offensive role and keep his efficiency stable while being more of a focal point for opposing defenses. Balas has quietly grown into a very good play creator and should help Fife shoulder that load this season. He has good positional size and a very high feel for the game. He should be able to play 1-3 on both ends this year and his increased usage should really highlight his versatility. His unique ability to pass, handle, and create his own shot should make him a popular breakout candidate this season.
The biggest question mark for Sanderson this season is their lack of depth. They return just three other varsity members from last season, none of which had substantial roles and their JV team last season was the worst in the county with a record of 0-22. The good thing for the Spartans is that there were some nice flashes from their returners last season, specifically with seniors Marquise Fisher and Tyler Green and junior Benjamin Ellison. They also bring in an intriguing freshman duo, Kendrick Pulley and Will Mills. Look for Fisher and Ellison to provide valuable forward depth. They rebound well and should fit well within what Coach Roberson wants to do. Pulley is one of the best pound for pound freshmen in the triangle. He’s a small, dynamic point guard with great change of pace and creation instincts. Look for him to be a huge piece in Sanderson’s future. Mills has the ability to contribute on the varsity level this season given his solid feel for the game and overall versatility. He may not get major minutes right away, but he too will be a major cog in the Spartans’ future.
On paper, this is the most complete roster in the conference outside of Cardinal Gibbons. Given that, it’s only right to have them in the two slot. They’ll need their support pieces to elevate and their depth to make an impact in order to earn the auto-bid, as 2-6 in this conference is extremely volatile. The CAP-6 is always a warzone to work through but given their multiple breakout players and having the Player of the Year, Sanderson is a relatively safe bet to come out on the right side.
3) Leesville Road
2022-23: 14-10 (4-6), 4th in CAP-6, 1st Round of Playoffs (L to Hoggard 58-63/OT)
Key Losses
Grady Whitt - Graduated - Playing at Colorado
Wil Murray - Graduated
Cole Lanford - Transferred to Pro5 Baseball Academy
Jaden Rice - Graduated - Playing at Mountain Gateway CC
Cekhi Hill - Graduated
Brady Ruane - Graduated
Key Returners
Hayes Oxendine - Jr
Arnav Shah - Sr
Key Newcomers
Kaden Drumgo - Jr - JV
Kierre Baker - Jr - JV
Colin Henderson - Jr - JV
Nylan Rush - Fr
Deep Dive
The Pride are coming into a year where they are looking to replace six rotation members. A huge amount of the offensive load will fall on junior Hayes Oxendine. He’s one of the best pure shooters in the state, able to get hot in an instant and shoot efficiently out of seemingly every footwork, action, and situation. He’s shown a healthy amount of off-the-dribble shot creation to believe in him taking a major leap in that area this season. He has great touch on floaters and layups in the paint and does a good job of absorbing contact when getting downhill. Look for him to take a major leap in usage and scoring this season. Next to him, senior Arnav Shah should be a valuable number two option in their offense. Last season he was primarily a spot-up shooter but has grown into a well-rounded off-ball scoring threat. He can attack closeouts well, hit 1-3 dribble pull-ups, and make simple passing reads. Look for him to produce alongside their playmakers quietly but consistently.
Like most teams in this conference, the biggest question mark for this group going into the season will be their depth. They have a promising core coming up from their JV team, led by junior duo Kaden Drumgo and Kierre Baker, and have an intriguing freshman guard in Nylan Rush. Drumgo is a dynamic athlete on the wing, able to guard up or down positions and fill a variety of holes on the offensive end. He’s at his best when getting to the rim, able to finish at a high level, taking contact well and displaying good touch. He has real vertical pop and should be able to use that his advantage as a rim protector, rebounder, and lob threat. He’s shown some flashes of shooting development, so look for him to make strides there this season. Baker is a reliable and smart floor general. He has a solid frame that should allow him to overpower smaller guards on both ends. He’s a good decision-maker and can score at multiple levels. Look for him to provide valuable minutes at the one and take some of the ball handling pressure off of Oxendine. Finally, Nylan Rush is a very enticing freshman, given his natural scoring ability and his wiry frame. He’s a crafty ball handler with good touch on runners and floaters. He’s a capable shooter, showing some nice flashes off the dribble. His body control when finishing is exceptional, especially considering his current lack of strength. Look for him to be an integral part of this program’s future.
The outcomes for Leesville Road this season seem pretty wide open. Ranging from winning a playoff game to finishing in the bottom half of the conference. I believe there’s a lot of room for optimism within the program, especially with their junior class. They play a schedule that should give them a handful of good tests and it shouldn’t take long to see how good they actually are this season.
4) Broughton
2022-23: 16-14 (5-5), 3rd in CAP-6, 3rd Round of Playoffs (L to New Hanover 48-52)
Key Losses
Hayes Carlin - 12p, 3r, 2a, 1s, 81 3pm - Graduated
Manning Lasso - 10p, 7r, 3a, 2s, 1b - Graduated - Playing Football at Charlotte
McCallum Wright - 10p, 3r, 2a, 1s - Graduated - Playing Football at ECU
Luke Ledford - 6p, 4r, 1a - Graduated - Playing at App State
James Parrish - 5p, 2r, 1a - Graduated
Cooper Warwick - 4p, 3r, 2a, 1s - Graduated
Zyione Callaway - 2p, 1r - Transferred to Southeast Raleigh
Key Returners
Chauncey Sumpter - Sr - 4p, 2r, 1s
Harrison Peatross - Sr - 2p, 1r
Harrison Savery - Sr - 2p
Key Newcomers
Hudson Fitzgerald - So - 12p, 4r, 1a, 2s, 40 3pm (JV)
Brayden Tuttle - So - 9p, 4r, 1a, 1s (JV)
Storm Taylor - Jr - 7p, 4r, 2a, 2s (JV)
George Hatem - Fr
Jordan Page - Fr
Deep Dive
The Captials are in the unique position of replacing virtually their entire rotation from last season, with their top six players graduating and another one transferring. They’ll look to a deep and largely unproven senior class as well as a lot of exciting young pieces to fill the massive void. Seniors Chauncey Sumpter, Harrison Peatross, and Harrison Savery will be the main upperclassmen to look out for. Sumpter is their most productive returner and acts as a wing/forward hybrid who can defend multiple positions and operates well out of straight-line drives and mid-post situations. He’ll be a swiss army knife on offense, cutting, flashing, screening, and rebounding at a super high level. Peatross and Savery will be tasked with a majority of Broughton’s on-ball creation this year after both played marginal minutes in the backcourt last season. Peatross will be the main option at the position and will need to prove he can shoulder a huge ramp up in usage in order for this team to hit their ceiling. He plays within himself and limits mistakes which should make for a steady presence at the point guard spot. Other guys such as Hampton Isbell, Andrew Monday, and Marr Lankins will be asked to step into important rotational roles and impact winning within those. Isbell is the most intriguing of the three given his 6’6” frame and raw potential. He has the biggest impact of the three when it comes to moving the needle this season.
The main reason why we like Broughton this year is because of their underclassmen. Sophomores Hudson Fitzgerald and Brayden Tuttle and freshmen George Hatem and Jordan Page should all impact the varsity level in real ways this season. Fitzgerald is one of the best shooters in the state, dominating the 15u independent scene this summer with WCBA, leveraging his shooting gravity into crafty drives, finishes, and passing reads. Look for him to have a very productive season and continue to establish himself as an elite shooter. Tuttle, a teammate of Fitzgerald on WCBA, is one of the more underrated prospects in his class. He’s incredibly productive and rarely will you find a game where he doesn’t impact winning. At 6’2”, he can guard multiple positions and his offensive skillset should translate immediately into varsity production. He’s a knockdown shooter who can screen, rebound, and finish at a high level. He’s shown the ability to create his own shot and his handle is consistently improving. Hatem and Page should both be able to carve out roles on varsity this year and both project to develop into enticing prospects. Hatem is a lanky shooter with a solid feel and positional size while Page is a forceful, explosive downhill athlete who projects to be a nightmare defensively.
Expectations for this group hinge on their young core’s ability to acclimate to the speed and physicality of the varsity level. The brand of basketball that Broughton plays is very unselfish and balanced, something that should elevate this group’s talent level. They have a relatively lighter schedule (given the absolute gauntlet they played last year) and given how well they can perform early on will be a solid indicator of their ability to push for a playoff spot.
5) Enloe
2022-23: 15-10 (4-6), 6th in CAP-6, 1st Round of Playoffs (L to Hillside 36-46)
Key Losses
Ethan Montague - 21p, 7r, 2a, 2s, 48 3pm - Graduated - Playing at Wake Tech CC
Fisayo Adebimpe - 8p, 4r, 2a, 1s, 27 3pm - Graduated - Playing at NC Wesleyan
Darian Chamblee - 6p, 3r, 4a, 1s - Graduated
Jason Okoro - 3p, 3r - Graduated
Key Returners
Owen Pedersen - Sr - 11p, 5r, 1a, 2s, 30 3pm
Gift Moses - Sr - 9p, 8r, 1a, 1s, 3b
Juice Coleman - So - 4p, 2r, 1a, 1s
Key Newcomers
Preston Williams - Jr - JV
Simba Debnam - Jr - JV
John Brown - Fr
Deep Dive
Enloe will be led by their very underrated senior duo, Owen Pedersen and Gift Moses. Pedersen is a gifted shooter, scorer, and defender who, at 6’4”, should cause real matchup problems on both ends of the floor. He averaged close to 20 ppg during the HoopState Fall League and while it’s not expected that he produces that much this season, look for him to quietly lead this team in scoring and be among the conference leaders in both scoring and efficiency. Moses is a lanky 6’6” forward (see Defensive Player of the Year above) who will once again be one of the top rim protectors in the triangle. His ability to make multiple efforts on defense and rebound at a high level will be crucial to the Eagles’ as they’ll need him to carry a lot of weight defensively. Offensively, he’s at his best when finishing plays around the rim with dump offs, cuts, and post-ups. He’s shown an improved ability to shoot over the summer so look for some growth in that department as well.
Sophomore point guard Juice Coleman, one of the more closely followed players in the triangle, will be tasked with taking a leap forward in both production and efficiency. He showed flashes as a shot maker and decision maker as a freshman and was able to inspire further belief in his development over the summer. Look for him to take a serious step up in usage and have the opportunity to assert himself as one of the top point guards around.
Around their top three, they have a handful of unproven pieces who will need to step up into rotational minutes. Malone Bridgers, Preston Williams, Simba Debnam, Carl Dean, Marquise Fenton, and freshman John Brown will all be given the chance to earn a spot in the back end of the rotation. Debnam is maybe the most intriguing of the bunch, acting as a powerful forward who can guard multiple positions and makes hustle play after hustle play. Brown is another in a deep crop of CAP-6 freshmen who can make a varsity impact early on. Look for him and Coleman to make a fun pairing to track over the next couple of years.
Enloe will be right in the thick of the playoff hunt and can finish anywhere 3-6 in the conference. If their big three all take another step and their lack of current depth can be solved, there’s no reason why they can’t make real noise this season.
6) Athens Drive
2022-23: 11-14 (4-6), 5th in CAP-6, 1st Round of Playoffs (L to New Hanover 39-54)
Key Losses
Noah Hinton - 12p, 4r, 2a, 2s - Graduated
Dynaven Lyons - 11p, 4r, 3a, 2s - Graduated
Jani Vanholten - 10p, 5r, 2a, 2s - Graduated - Playing at Experience Academy
Zyion Cooper - 5p, 4r - Graduated - Playing Football at Elizabeth City State
Anthony Jamison - 4p, 4r, 1a, 1s - Graduated - Playing Football at St. Augustine’s
Key Returners
Marcus Green - So - 4p, 3r, 3a, 1s, 1b
Derek Crumpton - Jr - 4p, 3r
Ryan Poggioli - Sr - 4p, 1r, 1a
Oliver Wilson - Sr - 1p, 1r
Key Newcomers
Chay Smith - Jr - 10p, 4r, 1a, 2s (JV)
Collin Peters - Jr - 9p, 6r, 2a, 3s (JV)
Chase Hardy - So - 9p, 4r, 2a, 2s (JV)
Jaqua Reddick - Jr - 7p, 5r, 1a, 1s (JV)
Jamari Bridges - So - 7p, 3r, 1a, 2s (JV)
Luca Wistehuff - So - Transfer from Wake Christian
Deep Dive
Like so many in this conference, this is a rebuilding year for the Jaguars. They have a small but intriguing group of upperclassmen returners, a big chunk of their JV team moving up, and one of the best sophomores in the triangle in Marcus Green. Green projects to be a serious triple-double threat at some point in his high school career and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him flirt with some this season. He has a tremendous feel for the game, evidenced by his defensive instincts and his skill as an off-ball cutter. He’ll be tasked with a majority of the point guard responsibilities this year which should further unlock his play creation talent. He’s taken steps as a ball handler and how well he can handle and create when teams key in on him will be an important area to monitor for both the team’s success and his development.
Outside of Green, the only key returners are junior Derek Crumpton and seniors Ryan Poggioli and Oliver Wilson. Crumpton is an athletic and versatile wing who will wear multiple different hats on both ends. Poggioli is a good spot-up shooter who should thrive off the ball and getting to his spots in transition. Wilson is maybe the most impactful of the three in regard to raising the team’s ceiling as his 6’6” frame and his rim protection instincts could go a long way in winning critical conference matchups.
Their JV team last season, while not overly successful, will provide an array of important, young pieces this season. Most notably, juniors Chay Smith and Collin Peters and sophomores Jamari Bridges and Chase Hardy. Smith is a versatile wing who should be a very valuable defender and off-ball scorer this year. Peters will look to provide much needed frontcourt depth. Bridges and Hardy are both dynamic guards who should do a solid job of flanking Green in the backcourt and bringing much needed athleticism and energy off the bench.
As you might be able to see, there’s a pattern of top-end talent with unproven depth all throughout this conference and Athens Drive is no different. There’s potential here to finish as high as third or as low as sixth, mostly depending on Marcus Green’s ability to take a big step and the consistency of the young pieces throughout the season. Given the amount of youth and their first-year head coach, the Jaguars are going to be one of the better teams in the area as early as next year.