As the Rolesville Rams cut down the nets in Winston-Salem yesterday, it marked not only the end of one
of the craziest seasons in recent memory, but the passing of the torch from the class of 2024 to a talented
and dynamic group of 2025s.
No one would have predicted that Rolesville would be the Queens of the Court back on December 30,
2023 when they lost by 46 to Mallard Creek (Charlotte) at the John Wall Classic in Raleigh (79-33). Yet,
to their credit, they continued to work, got better and it culminated in a State Championship victory over
Charlotte Catholic and UNC bound Blanca Thomas, 65-58. Thomas and her teammate Holy Cross signee,
Gracyn Gough are part of North Carolina’s 2024 class, arguably one of the best classes in the state in the
last 10 years. The 2024 class includes North Pitt’s Zamareya Jones (NC State), Panther Creek’s Taylor
Barner (Memphis), JM Robinson’s Ella Hobbs, (Ohio State) and the biggest prize of all, Grace Christian’s
Sarah Strong who recently narrowed her final 3 to Duke, Connecticut and UNC. The irony wasn’t lost on
me that Rolesville’s best player is Caitlyn Jones, a tremendous PG who gets anywhere she wants to on the
court, led all scorers with 27 points in the title game. She will headline a deep and talented group of 2025s
like Kate Sears (Watauga), Elle Stone (Mallard Creek), and Adelaide Jernigan (Bishop McGuiness) that
will continue to make the Hoop State a compelling watch in the women’s basketball space. As a
consumer of and fan of great basketball, I can’t wait to see how the 24s do at the next level and who will
be holding up North Carolina’s big trophy this time next year.
North Carolina D-1 Signees – Class of 2024
Sarah Strong (TBD)
Blanca Thomas (UNC)
Zamareya Jones (NC State)
Ella Hobbs (Ohio State)
Taylor Barner (Memphis)
Lili Booker (Longwood)
Delanie Hill (Albany)
Olivia Tucker (Campbell)
Madison Pounds (Hofstra)
Emerson Thompson (Campbell)
Kaylee Cazson (ETSU)
Gracynn Gough (Holy Cross)
Jayda Angel (Elon)
Tamia Darden (NC A&T)
Kierra Morrow (Elon)
Makayla Noble (Albany)
Mikayla Taborn (Campbell)
Raven Lexander (Stetson)
Krystal Haddock (Tenn State)
Khloe Miller (ECU)
Michaela Hodge (Hofstra)
“The Madness That Is March – Passing the torch” – A recap of the NCHSAA 4A State Basketball Playoffs
As the Rolesville Rams cut down the nets in Winston-Salem yesterday, it marked not only the end of one
of the craziest seasons in recent memory, but the passing of the torch from the class of 2024 to a talented
and dynamic group of 2025s.
No one would have predicted that Rolesville would be the Queens of the Court back on December 30,
2023 when they lost by 46 to Mallard Creek (Charlotte) at the John Wall Classic in Raleigh (79-33). Yet,
to their credit, they continued to work, got better and it culminated in a State Championship victory over
Charlotte Catholic and UNC bound Blanca Thomas, 65-58. Thomas and her teammate Holy Cross signee,
Gracyn Gough are part of North Carolina’s 2024 class, arguably one of the best classes in the state in the
last 10 years. The 2024 class includes North Pitt’s Zamareya Jones (NC State), Panther Creek’s Taylor
Barner (Memphis), JM Robinson’s Ella Hobbs, (Ohio State) and the biggest prize of all, Grace Christian’s
Sarah Strong who recently narrowed her final 3 to Duke, Connecticut and UNC. The irony wasn’t lost on
me that Rolesville’s best player is Caitlyn Jones, a tremendous PG who gets anywhere she wants to on the
court, led all scorers with 27 points in the title game. She will headline a deep and talented group of 2025s
like Kate Sears (Watauga), Elle Stone (Mallard Creek), and Adelaide Jernigan (Bishop McGuiness) that
will continue to make the Hoop State a compelling watch in the women’s basketball space. As a
consumer of and fan of great basketball, I can’t wait to see how the 24s do at the next level and who will
be holding up North Carolina’s big trophy this time next year.
North Carolina D-1 Signees – Class of 2024
Sarah Strong (TBD)
Blanca Thomas (UNC)
Zamareya Jones (NC State)
Ella Hobbs (Ohio State)
Taylor Barner (Memphis)
Lili Booker (Longwood)
Delanie Hill (Albany)
Olivia Tucker (Campbell)
Madison Pounds (Hofstra)
Emerson Thompson (Campbell)
Kaylee Cazson (ETSU)
Gracynn Gough (Holy Cross)
Jayda Angel (Elon)
Tamia Darden (NC A&T)
Kierra Morrow (Elon)
Makayla Noble (Albany)
Mikayla Taborn (Campbell)
Raven Lexander (Stetson)
Krystal Haddock (Tenn State)
Khloe Miller (ECU)
Michaela Hodge (Hofstra)