Athletes of the Week Jan. 5

Luke Arnold-Decyk  

Luke looks like a natural 190-pounder. He’s a big, strong wrestler with no body fat. His 2023-24 season journey began with him dropping 20 pounds, coming down from 210 to make the Cape starting lineup at 190. Against Sussex Central Jan. 3, Luke battled Jimmy McLane – they have wrestled before – and won by pin in one of the crucial swing matches in the competition. “Luke has the talent; he just needs confidence and mat time,” said Cape wrestling coach Chris Mattioni. “Tonight was a big win for him.” Luke is a junior and has dropped other sports to focus more on his wrestling. Luke’s career path is medical technologies; he says his goal is to become a nurse. 

Gabe Cannon 

Sussex Central’s 175-pound hammer has been wrestling since he was 7. Gabe is also the starting quarterback on the football team and smiled when it was mentioned that he was the only starting quarterback on a state tournament team who was also a top-of-the-line wrestler. “A leader and just a great young man,” said Central coach Shane Miller. “Gabe is closing in on 100 career pins, and that includes the COVID season where he only had 16 matches.” Gabe is an honors student who does Academic Challenge and Advanced Placement courses. In an era where so many athletes jump to early commitments, Cannon offered a refreshing perspective. “I’m going to the University of Delaware to major in pre-med,” he said. Cannon placed second in the Henlopen Conference last season and third in the state. 

Adrien Stevens

This 6-foot-5 guard by way of Bullis (Md.) brings more energy than a six-pack of Red Bull. The junior’s open-court speed, physicality and defensive intensity won him plenty of new fans at Slam Dunk, where he averaged 15 points, four rebounds and three steals over two games. In a second-day showdown with a loaded Moravian Prep (N.C.) squad, Adrien knocked down three three-pointers and kept the Bulldogs in contention until the final minutes. The following evening, he led Bullis with 16 points and three steals in a 70-41 romp over the Phelps School (Pa.). Maryland, Marquette, Villanova, Virginia and Stanford are among schools pursuing Stevens. “Whoever gets me will get a good-character kid and high-achieving academic student. On the court, my defensive game leads to my offensive game,” he said.

Jayden Williams

A 6-foot-9 enforcer from Chicago who ventured west this season to Bella Vista Prep in Arizona, Jayden made a huge impression on fans at Slam Dunk to the Beach. The senior big man lived up to his billing as a top 100 recruit nationally, averaging 14 points, nine rebounds and one block per game, as the Bears split tight games with Blair (N.J.) and Westtown (Pa.). His 17-point, 10-board night netted Bella Vista a 53-48 victory over highly regarded Blair. “I can pass the ball, score in the paint and defend, so I like to think I’m pretty versatile,” Williams said. “I watch a lot of Jalen Duren and Anthony Davis, and try to learn from them.” One of just a few uncommitted blue-chippers in the Class of 2024, Jayden is planning visits to Texas and DePaul, but he also has offers from Auburn, Florida and a host of other programs.