MADE Hoops East Warmup: Friday 17U Eye-catchers

MADE Hoops continued its Northeast spring event season with its East Warmup event kicking off Friday night at Spooky Nook in PA, featuring hundreds of teams from the MADE circuits, the EYBL, and beyond. The night was spent bouncing around with any number of high-level matchups taking place at once, but take a look below for a handful of prospects who stuck out among the 17U division.    Carter may be hard to recognize for those who haven't seen him since last summer, as the offensively gifted young guard has added several inches to his frame while beginning to fill out in a real way. His game is tough to mistake, though, as Carter brings an unorthodox cadence and creativity to his on-ball game that makes for a difficult cover while keeping defenses consistently off-balance. Playing two years up on the 17U level with his regular NJ Roadrunners unit, Carter bobs and weaves with the ball while navigating to spots and using his added size to survey the floor for open teammates. He's having to adapt his jump shot to his changing body, but shows the type of natural touch and footwork into his pullups that points to a high upside as a shot-maker in the long run. With his newfound physical stature and extensive talent level with the ball, Carter could have a chance to emerge on a national scale having now entered the 2028 class.     One of the top remaining unsigned centers in the region, Cicic suited back up with 6th Boro Hoops and certainly left an impression. A throwback '5' with a towering frame and broad shoulders, he quickly establishes a presence on the blocks and sticks to where his bread is buttered, scoring efficiently inside over either shoulder off post-ups and putbacks alike. Perhaps where Cicic impresses most is as a passer, where he shows great anticipation against double teams and a an effectively creative flair to how he delivers the ball to his teammates. He changes ends better than expected and even flashed the ability to step out for a respectable standstill jumper from the perimeter. There's justifiable questions about his defensive fit at too high of a level, but Cicic showed once again that he's a no-brainer D1 big man even in the era of transfer portal recruiting.     It was tough to get a great look at Riak during the winter as he split time between CATS' powerhouse 'AA' team and their secondary squad, but the native of Australia took advantage of the opportunity with his Expressions Premier group to show off a well-rounded two-way skillset on the wing. With great positional size, dripping length, and graceful movements, Riak has the physical tools and unselfish approach to slot comfortably into a coveted 3-and-D role at the next level. He shows a nice activity level on the margins, using his length to stick his nose in the play and come up with loose balls or bother opponents' shots. Offensively, Riak keeps things simple while showing a comfortable straight-line handle in space and smooth standstill stroke from the perimeter. He certainly looks worthy of attracting D1 attention over the course of the summer.     Diallo made an impact with Jelly Fam in the OTE league during the winter after moving up from North Carolina, and looked ready to hit the ground running with his new grassroots squad if his debut with the Lightning was any indication. An active and athletic hybrid big known for his defensive prowess, Diallo was a consistent presence near the rim with his length, apparent added strength and tough-nosed approach. He also impressed in showing a gradually expanded offensive arsenal, not just finishing effectively inside but also showing comfort handling and making decisions away from the rim, especially in the high-low game. With defensive-minded bigs being a scarce commodity, expect Diallo to pick up plenty of buzz on the recruiting trail over the course of his debut EYBL campaign.      A pleasant surprise on the night was the play of Giraud alongside the rest of a talented and cohesive 6th Boro Scholars group. He stands out right away with his size, length, grace, and youthful frame that suggests he's still in the early stages of physical development. Once the game got going, he continued to impress while displaying a projectable rim-running skillset. The French-Ugandan big is light on his feet changing ends like a guard while keeping his hands ready to catch on the move and finish athletically in space. Currently being recruited mostly at the D3 level, Giraud looks like a potential hidden gem for a scholarship-level program looking for size late in the cycle.

MADE Hoops continued its Northeast spring event season with its East Warmup event kicking off Friday night at Spooky Nook in PA, featuring hundreds of teams from the MADE circuits, the EYBL, and beyond. The night was spent bouncing around with any number of high-level matchups taking place at once, but take a look below for a handful of prospects who stuck out among the 17U division.