POINT GUARD
Returning players: None
2023-24 players not returning: Darius Brown (Exhibit 10 contract Cleveland Cavaliers), Javon Jackson (Transferred to Illinois-Chicago)
2023-24 total production lost: 63 games, 5 starts, 8.8 PPG, 43.9 FG%, 39.3 3-PT%, 85.0 FT%, 2.8 REBs, 3.9 ASTs, 1.0 STLs
2023-24 total production returning: None
2023-24 total production transferring in (transfer portal): 62 games, 55 starts, 14.5 PPG, 46.5 FG%, 29.0 3-PT%, 70.7 FT%, 4.7 REBs, 4.0 ASTs, 1.4 STLs
New faces in 2024-25:
Deyton Albury 6’2″ 190 (247 3*) – Queens University of Charlotte – (2 years to play 1)
2023-24 (Jr.) Stats: PPG: 17.0 FG%: 48.2 3PT%: 36.4 FT%: 75.0 REB: 5.8 AST: 3.7 STL: 1.2
2022-23 (So.) Stats: PPG: 10.8 FG%: 47.5 3PT%: 39.5 FT%: 68.1 REB: 5.1 AST: 3.3 STL: 1.3
2021-22 (Fr.) Stats: PPG: 4.4 FG%: 52.4 3PT%: 22.2 FT%: 68.6 REB: 2.7 AST: 0.7 STL: 0.6
Offers from: Akron, Central Florida, Florida Atlantic, Indiana, Kansas St, Loyola-Chicago, New Mexico St, North Texas, Sam Houston St, Samford, Virginia Tech
https://247sports.com/Player/deyton-albury-46148420/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEkGZmO-T8k
Drake Allen 6’4″ 190 (NR) – Utah Valley University – (2 years to play 1)
2023-24 (Jr.) Stats: PPG: 11.9 FG%: 44.5 3PT%: 23.2 FT%: 63.2 REB: 3.4 AST: 4.3 STL: 1.5
2022-23 (So.) Stats: PPG: 11.1 FG%: 47.6 3PT%: 36.4 FT%: 63.6 REB: 3.3 AST: 3.8 STL: 1.0
2021-22 (Fr.) Stats: PPG: 12.8 FG%: 53.8 3PT%: 28.7 FT%: 63.0 REB: 4.7 AST: 6.0 STL: 2.2
2020-21 (Fr.) Stats: PPG: 7.2 FG%: 61.0 3PT%: 30.0 FT%: 70.0 REB: 2.9 AST: 2.7 STL: 0.9
Offers from: UNKNOWN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6IIJ_Ce78g
Jordy Barnes 6’3″ 160 (NR) – Olympus HS, UT – (Preferred Walk-on)
2023-24 (Sr.) Stats: PPG: 14.3 FG%: — 3PT%: — FT%: — REB: 7.5 AST: 10.5 STL: 3.6
2022-23 (Jr.) Stats: PPG: 13.4 FG%: 45.0 3PT%: 34.0 FT%: 74.0 REB: 6.4 AST: 9.0 STL: 3.5
2021-22 (So.) Stats: PPG: 11.9 FG%: 65.0 3PT%: 37.0 FT%: 76.0 REB: 5.1 AST: 9.8 STL: 3.2
2020-21 (Fr.) Stats: PPG: 4.8 FG%: 60.0 3PT%: 37.0 FT%: 81.0 REB: 4.8 AST: 6.7 STL: 1.6
Offers from: Southern Utah
https://www.hudl.com/profile/15445265/Jordan-Barnes
2024-25 OUTLOOK
DRAKE ALLEN
Drake Allen is a transfer from Utah Valley University who will enter the 2024-25 season as a senior and use his final season of eligibility with the Aggies. As a junior last season, Allen started in 27 of 30 games for the Wolverines and averaged 11.9 points per game while shooting 44.4 percent from the floor, 23.2 percent from behind the 3-point line and he shot 63.2 percent at the free-throw line. He averaged 3.4 boards, 4.3 assists, and 1.4 steals.
During his four-year career at Utah Valley University, Southern Utah University, and Snow Junior College (UT), Allen started in 101 of 124 games and averaged 11.0 points per game while shooting 50.6 percent from the floor, 29.4 percent from behind the 3-point line, and 64.2 percent from the free-throw line. He also averaged 3.7 boards, 4.5 assists, and 1.6 steals.
Allen is going to provide solid senior leadership from the point guard position. He prides himself on his passing ability and his court vision will translate well to the Mountain West Conference level. He is just as excited to set up a teammate for a score as he is doing the scoring himself. He is a bigger point guard than the Aggies have had in the past and with that size comes a different dimension of his game. Allen is strong enough that in one-on-one situations he can back his defender down into the paint and get himself a good shot. He’s an active player who isn’t afraid to mix it up and will battle for rebounds and loose balls. I think Allen will be the beneficiary of playing on such a talented team that he won’t be the primary focus of opposing defenders and that should allow his shooting percentages to rise.
DEYTON ALBURY
Deyton Albury is a transfer from Queens University of Charlotte who will enter the 2024-25 season as a senior and use his final season of eligibility with the Aggies. As a junior last season, Albury started in 28 of 32 games for the Royals and averaged 17.0 points per game while shooting 48.2 percent from the floor, 36.4 percent from behind the 3-point line and he shot 75.0 percent at the free-throw line. He averaged 5.8 boards, 3.7 assists, and 1.2 steals. For his effort, Albury was named the Atlantic Sun Conference Newcomer of the Year and also earned third-team all-conference honors.
During his three-year career at Queens University of Charlotte and Chipola Junior College (FL), Albury started in 61 of 99 games and averaged 10.7 points per game. He shot 48.5 percent from the floor, 36.3 percent from behind the 3-point line, and 71.5 percent from the free-throw line. He also averaged 4.5 boards, 2.6 assists, and 1.1 steals.
According to 247sports once Albury entered the transfer portal he was rated as the 409th-best transfer player nationally, the 98th-best shooting guard. After entering the transfer portal, Albury chose the Aggies over offers from offers from: Akron, Central Florida, Florida Atlantic, Indiana, Kansas State, Loyola-Chicago, New Mexico State, North Texas, Sam Houston State, Samford, and Virginia Tech.
Albury has speed and athleticism, which is rarely seen in an Aggie point guard. He is constantly looking to use his superior speed to blow passed an opposing defender and attack the rim with a ferocity that often ends with a monstrous dunk. He runs the transition offense like he is shot out of a cannon, daring opposing players to keep up or get in his way. Should Albury get slowed down on his way to the hoop, he is very capable of finding an open teammate hanging around on the outside to knock down an open 3-ball. He is more than able to knock down the 3-ball himself and he can do it in a variety of ways. He can hit a step-back, a catch-and-shoot, and off the dribble. Albury is long enough to defend most guards he will face this season. He will approach the defensive side of the court with aggressiveness and high-level effort.
JORDY BARNES
Adding depth to the position is true freshman preferred walk-on Jordy Barnes. As a senior at Olympus High School (UT) in 2023-24, he started in all 27 games. He averaged 14.3 points, 7.5 boards, 10.5 assists, and 3.6 steals per game. For his outstanding effort, he was named the Utah 5A Player of the Year, He set a Utah high school record with 934 dimes throughout his career and was a four-year varsity starter. He is the son of former Aggie shooting guard Matt Barnes.
Barnes chose to join the Aggies over an offer from Southern Utah. However, he committed to the Aggies very early in his recruiting process during his junior year and likely scared off more offers by doing so.
As evidenced by his gaudy assist numbers in high school, Barnes is a natural passer. He sees the floor in a way that just can’t be taught and his feel for what is happening on the court is beyond his true freshman years. He can do it all with the ball in his hands, drive-and-kick, drive-and-dish, and is proving capable enough to score at this level as well. He has an uncanny ability to see “windows” where a teammate should pop open if he is on the same page. I think he has the size to score effectively driving to the basket and he is proving to be a capable shooter from outside the 3-point arc. I see him being the beneficiary of drive-and-kick passes from other teammates, when Barnes himself isn’t busy creating for others. From what I’ve seen so far, Jordy Barnes absolutely belongs at this level of basketball.
PROJECTED 2024-25 PRESEASON DEPTH CHART
POINT GUARD
8 Drake Allen (6-4, 190, Sr., TR, NR)
13 Deyton Albury (6-2, 190, Sr., TR, 3*)
5 Jordy Barnes (6-3, 160, Fr., HS, NR)
Coming Up On Thursday: Center