2021-22: 20-9 (9-0), 1st in NAC, 4th Round of Playoffs (L to Panther Creek 61-64)
Key Losses
Ceejay Jordan - 17ppg, 8rpg - Graduated - Playing at Wake Tech CC
Jaylan Bowen - 13ppg, 3rpg, 2apg - Graduated - Playing at Longwood
Bailey Daniels - 7ppg, 6rpg - Graduated
Key Returners
Colt Langdon - Sophomore - 14ppg, 6rpg, 50 3pm
Gabe Cerda - Senior - 6ppg, 4rpg, 2apg, 2spg
Jacob Lawton - Junior - 4ppg
Key Newcomers
Jayan Walker - Junior - 12ppg, 6rpg - Transfer from Jordan HS
Brandon Callahan - Junior - Transfer from Garner HS
Projected Rotation
Storylines
The Wildcats finished last season with 6.36 Wins Over Average (WOA) which was good for 4th in Wake County, 6th in 4A East, and 12th in 4A overall. They return a lot from last year’s playoff run and bring in two high-level transfers.
The Wildcats will be led by nationally-ranked sophomore Colt Langdon. Colt is a 6’8” sharpshooter that has a ton of potential regarding the next level. He will be an impossible mismatch for almost every team in the state given his size and mobility on the wing. He might be the best player in the county as a sophomore and is the front-runner for NAC POY. Last season, Colt was named 2nd team all-district by the NCBCA. Since 2008, the only other freshman to make an all-district team was Leesville Road’s Carter Whitt, who made the 3rd team in 2018. Colt’s freshman season put him in rare air and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him named 1st team all-district, or even be district POY, something that a sophomore has never done before.
The transfer additions of 2024s Jayan Walker (Jordan HS) and Brandon Callahan (Garner HS) will be the biggest storyline for this team. Jayan is a 6’7” wing that can score efficiently and without a lot of touches. Brandon is a 6’2” sharpshooter that can hit threes off the catch, the move, and the dribble. Both players will help fill the shoes of the recently graduated Ceejay Jordan and Jaylan Bowen. I would expect there to be some growing pains early in the year as these guys integrate into the team and figure out their roles. Once they get their footing Millbrook will be one of the top 3-5 teams on paper in 4A and these two will make this team a legit contender.
The backcourt of 2023 Gabe Cerda and 2024 Jacob Lawton will be one of the best defensive duos in the east. Gabe is a hard-nosed playmaker that takes pride in his ability to make plays on offense and disrupt them on defense. He will be one of the best point guards in the county and Millbrook will surely miss his presence in the years to come. Gabe has also shown the ability to be a plus scorer when needed but I doubt that Millbrook will need that from him very often this year. Jacob is a small and quick combo guard that uses his lack of size to his advantage. He is great at eliminating space on defense and his strong frame doesn’t allow him to get thrown around by bigger guards. Jacob is also a great shooter that can extend his range as far as he needs to. He uses his speed to get into the paint and either find shooters or hit a floater himself.
Despite the abundance of talent on the roster, the Wildcats only have one senior in their rotation and have a stacked 2024 class. With Blake Bartney, Kyrie Heredia, and Nik Brown coming off the bench this season, this team will be just as good if not better next season.
Expectations
Millbrook has been one of the most successful programs in the state for some time now. They always have high expectations and this season’s roster is no different. We should expect a strong showing at the John Wall, a conference regular season and tournament title, a high seed, and a deep playoff run that could very easily end with an east region title and a state championship.