Early Signing Period 2023 - Previewing the SoCon
The Southern Conference is one of the oldest conferences in the country and has been a mid-major conference that has teams that can do some damage come March. Let's take a look at the early signing period with a Southern Conference perspective.
Top Dog - Isaiah Otyaluk, UT-Chattanooga - This guy shined on our stage last HoopSeen season. He is so versatile and I think he will make a big impact in this league when he puts on some muscle and some needed weight. The slender Otyaluk scored from all over the floor with a consistent shot from outside. He can get out and run in transition which usually led to a big dunk at the other end. Otyaluk can handle the ball well and is a strong rebounder for his position. Otyaluk is ranked as the 19th best prospect in North Carolina's loaded 2024 class.
Top of the Class - Wofford - Head Coach Dwight Perry went across the state line into Georgia and picked up two quality commitments. First off is Kahmare Holmes who our Josh Tec wrote about, "This was my first time seeing Archer’s 2024 guard Kahmare Holmes — and I really liked what I saw. The 6-foot-4 guard has an impressive physique that starts with broad shoulders and long arms, and he used both of those to his advantage when attacking the rim. He’s an extremely tough assignment on defense, especially when he gets downhill with his right hand. And, speaking of defense, Holmes was lights out with his versatility and ability to guard multiple positions. The junior got things going in the second half as he scored 17 of his 19 points in the latter part of the game." Holmes is the 14th ranked prospect in the state of Georgia.
Wofford has also landed the other piece of this two-man early commitment from Luke Flynn the 12th ranked player in the state of Georgia for the 2024 class. Our Josh Tec wrote about him in June of 2022, "Playing up, Flynn’s still one of the best guards with the highest upside whenever the Timberwolves take the floor. He’s smart, has a strong frame, shoots the ball well, makes great passes and reads, and he’s a strong positional rebounder for his size. He either completes or flirts with triple-doubles with some regularity. While he’s already garnering college interest, Flynn has all of the hallmarks of a guard that will see his stock rise significantly when the 2024 class steps into the spotlight more. Think of a similar rise as someone like Brandon Rechsteiner. By this time next year, I firmly believe we’ll be talking about Flynn in the same regard, which is as one of the region’s best guard prospects."
Georgia On WCU's Mind
It was love at first sight for Western Carolina University and CJ Hyland. The guard out of Grayson High School in Georgia is a guy that I feel like has found the right fit with Justin Gray and his staff at Western Carolina. Our Josh Tec wrote about Hyland back in June of 2022 when Western Carolina was his first offer. "This Lanier team has a lot of talent on it. A lot of it is 2024 talent, and CJ Hyland is the one running the show. The 6-foot-1 PG is quick and shifty. He can get to the rim with ease, and he’s a solid 3-point shooter. Despite being able to score it well, Hyland isn’t a ball stopper, which I love. He’s more than willing to share the wealth. Western Carolina is the first D1 to extend an offer to Hyland." - Josh Tec.
