Day 1 15U Standouts from Centennial State Cup

Day 1 at the Centennial State Cup had some good runs, but the 15U group is where I spent most of my time, and it paid off. There was a lot to like across different games, especially from guys who just kept making plays without forcing it. These are the names that stood out and had me paying attention throughout the day.    Mahlberg was a player who I wanted to see more of, as I had some questions heading into the event, and he answered plenty of them in game 1. He shoots it with confidence, and his team put him in creative spots to let it fly. He was coming off of screens ready to shoot, he let it fly when he had open looks, and that range opened up the rest of his game. He also had a couple of power finishes and looked very comfortable with the ball in his hands. He makes quick decisions and gets to his spots. Eye-opening day 1.     Rooney was on a mission to impact the game on both ends, and that stood out early in the game on Day 1. He pushed the pace and forced the Titans to play at a pace that they're not accustomed to. He speeds you up as he picked up full court, played the passing lanes, and turned plenty of that into scoring in transition. He finished with both hands at the rim, he wore down the defense and did not force the issue. Rooney is under control and is a player to keep an eye on throughout the weekend.     Dash is a player who we've seen in the underclassman glue guy role during the high school season, so it was great to see him with the ball in his hands more and able to make plays. He showed flashes as he filled it up in various ways. What stands out first is his frame. His strength shines through as guards have a difficult time defending him, and we saw a few and-1 finishes in the game. He had a few big guards spin move finishes and then opened it up with a 3-pointer as well to showcase his versatility. He had a stretch of dominance, and the lead ballooned with him in the game. He's physical, has a great feel, and is instinctive on both ends of the floor, and was a Day 1 standout.     Brown is a player who pops for me due to his size, but when sitting and watching him. There's plenty of upside that comes with him. He's doing a ton of little things, and that adds up. He was grabbing boards and finishing around the basket for Colorado Mayhem, and he got more comfortable throughout the game. What I love is that you do not see a ton of often is a big man who boxes out on almost every single play. Brown was putting a body on someone, which eliminated rebounding opportunities for Rev Up. He's really protecting the paint and got blocks at the rim, runs the floor, and is an interchangeable defender that plugs holes in the defense. On offense, he was flashing to the middle when they went zone, kept the ball high, and finished over the top or through contact. He had some finishes on the block and used his size as he was the biggest player in the game. When it all comes together, he's going to be a solid player as he's raw and talented and will only get better. Solid Day 1.     Whiteside is one of the few players at this age who plays a ton of varsity, and he's not only playing a ton, but he's the leading scorer for his team, so it is intriguing to watch him play at this level and adapt to having other talented players around him. You can tell he has varsity feel with how he pushes the pace, attacks to get to his go-to spots, and handles the pressure that teams throw at him, and now it is about providing balance as a lead guard who can make plays for teammates but also get his own with the flow of the offense. On Day 1, he was under control by taking care of the ball as he took on ball handling duties when he was in, but it was certainly a day of him being all over on defense and playing with pace. Want to see how the rest of the weekend goes for him.

Day 1 at the Centennial State Cup had some good runs, but the 15U group is where I spent most of my time, and it paid off. There was a lot to like across different games, especially from guys who just kept making plays without forcing it. These are the names that stood out and had me paying attention throughout the day.