Early May Finds: 2029 Names That Caught Attention

We are fresh off the Centennial State Cup to begin May and that is usually where you start finding the players that weren't part of the conversation before, but probably should be moving forward. That was the case with this group. Some of these names came in with little buzz and left with people asking questions after a few games. Different styles, different roles, but they all had moments where the little things stood out and made you keep watching.   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.     Baptiste played with real confidence and pace all weekend for Powerhouse, and that stood out from Game 1. He was all over the place and was constantly creating problems despite teams trying to face-guard him. He's a smaller guard with skill and feel. He moved well without the ball and never disappeared offensively. I liked the way that Baptiste finished creatively at the basket against the bigger players; he got a few steals and kept the ball moving as a willing passer. The game looked very comfortable for him, and his craftiness made him one of the more intriguing guards we saw. I would like to see more from him ,most certainly.     Barber brought instant offense to [program_tooltip program_id='3564524' first='Team' last='Excellence'] as he showcased a smooth and repeatable jumper. He also has a scorer's mentality, and that got him out for some easy baskets. He stayed shot-ready and found rhythm quickly, but what stood out was the subtle stuff like his timely cuts, smart positioning, and defensive activity that led to steals. Barber is a player who showed flashes attacking gaps and making the next pass instead of forcing too many plays. He's a microwave scorer who impacted the game in more ways than just shooting and left me wanting to see what more is there.     Team Daum is always a team that I am intrigued by, as they seem to play the right way, and they're a very unselfish bunch. The younger group is the same, and a player that stood out to me was youngster, Richardson. Richardson's movement without the ball immediately stood out as he is constantly searching for ways to score. The lefty consistently worked the baseline, slipping behind defenses and making teams pay from the perimeter. He plays with extreme confidence as a shooter and doesn't hesitate when he sees daylight. That's when the scoring started to come on. There's a natural scoring instinct there, but also an understanding of spacing that helps his team offensively. He's a player who quietly kept making momentum plays throughout the weekend at Centennial State Cup and could not continue to go unnoticed.     Bailey is another player who checked a lot of boxes over the weekend for Daum, but what really stands out is the mixture of being the right kind of athletic, aggressive, and also pops as a playmaker. The lefty attacked the rim hard, absorbed contact, and finished through defenders on multiple occasions. He also mixed in impressive passing reads and perimeter shot-making to open up the offense a bit more. Bailey plays with confidence and bounce and caused a few runs of his own for Team Daum. The tools are there physically, but it was his competitiveness and instincts that really got my attention. I certainly want to see more.     Ross impacted multiple games that we saw from him this weekend by staying active and playing within himself. He used his length well around the basket, finished plays over the top, and consistently found ways to create extra opportunities for his team. He's a player who does the little things. He boxes out, runs the floor, and lets the game come naturally instead of forcing possessions. His timing, activity level, and willingness to do the little things stood out, especially for a young player still growing into his game. I am intrigued by his game.

We are fresh off the Centennial State Cup to begin May and that is usually where you start finding the players that weren't part of the conversation before, but probably should be moving forward. That was the case with this group. Some of these names came in with little buzz and left with people asking questions after a few games. Different styles, different roles, but they all had moments where the little things stood out and made you keep watching.