17U Names That Caught Our Eye at Centennial State Cup

The Centennial State Cup had some of the usual suspects stand out, but also had some stellar play from prospects that we've had our eye on but wanted to see more from as well. Those players stepped up and led their team to wins. Here are some standouts from 17U on the weekend who caught our eye.    Use code dev30 for 30% off and secure access as we're going through rankings and got you covered for the grassroots season. You don't want to miss any of our scouting.     Eli is a tough one for us because we see so many flashes from him where he looks unstoppable. He has an elite handle, he breaks defenders down off the dribble, and scores with ease. Against Tru Colorado, he was the one who got the scoring started as he started the game with a pair of 3-pointers and floaters to get HoopTherapy a lead. But then he decides to go in pass-only mode and not create that blend. If he were aggressive and attacking, I truly think he would have some monster games, and we saw that at times throughout the weekend. He's a natural scorer with good feel and pace, and that was on display this weekend. I just want to see more of it because it's there.      [player_tooltip player_id='2779133' first='Torian' last='Carr'] was a man amongst boys this weekend and looked like one of the best bigs in the tourney on the weekend. He was aggressive on the boards, grabbing boards and going straight up, and was a force in the middle. HoopTherapy went 3-1 on the weekend in Pool A and had one of their better outings at our event,s and he was a big reason as to why. When he makes up his mind to deliver pain by going through and over defenders, it makes HoopTherapy that much better. We saw him have 15+ points against Tru Colorado, battle with one of the better bigs against Hardwood, a buzzer beater that won them the game and competed against Mountain Stars. He finished in transition, attacked from the high post, spun off of defenders, and went right up. Big weekend for him, and he's been on a mission this summer to prove himself. Well, we've noticed.     Thalacker is a player who we went into the event wanting to see how he'd perform, and he showed up. When he was up against the top team of the weekend, Peak2Peak battled and showed true grit, and Thalacker was why. He's a confident scorer who excels both with the ball in his hands and plays off-ball. He handles pressure and can create shots for himself. He got himself going by pulling up for deep jumpers and showed a complete game. He took a ton of shots and looked like he belonged. The thing about his game that was underrated all weekend is his ability as a on-ball defender. He's an excellent defender who stays in front of his man, stays attached on screens, moves his feet, and stays in front of his man. This was a big-time weekend for him, and he's a player who we want to see more of as there's much more there. Hopefully, we see him at our showcases and more events to keep an eye on him heading into the event.      Cook is a big man with real physical tools who's still figuring out how to put it all together. The size jumps out right away, and this weekend he was able to impact the game just by being around the rim. Cook alters shots with length, cleans the glass, and keeps possessions alive with second effort. There are moments where he speeds himself up, but when he settles in, you can see it starting to click. The foundation is there, and once the pace slows and the game comes to him, he's going to be a problem. He was a solid prospect to watch.     Bantock was the top prospect on the weekend in 17U on anyone not wearing a Mountain Stars jersey. He dominated all weekend for Hardwood Elite Gold as he carried the scoring load and did it in a way that felt repeatable. He looked very comfortable operating in the midrange; he got to his spots with ease and knocked down shots consistently. He also cleaned the glass and finished through contact. He had 30+ points in a game that we watched and took over in another close game as well. When Hardwood Elite needed a bucket, everything ran through him, and he kept stepping up. The production speaks for itself, but it's the feel and presence that stand out. This was a major step forward, and there's real momentum building with his game that has us intrigued. Was this just a good weekend or did he make that big of a jump? We have to see more.

The Centennial State Cup had some of the usual suspects stand out, but also had some stellar play from prospects that we've had our eye on but wanted to see more from as well. Those players stepped up and led their team to wins. Here are some standouts from 17U on the weekend who caught our eye.