In the 15U division, one of, if not the most impressive player for me on the weekend was Noah Mahlberg Noah Mahlberg 6'2" | CG/SG Valor Christian | 2029 State CO . Mountain Stars cruised to each win on an undefeated weekend, which makes it a bit difficult to gauge impact, but he was the guy for them in each game. His confidence reigns supreme as he has checked off many boxes and does it at a high level. Mahlberg hit the most 3’s for Mountain Stars, he looked for and attacked mismatches for easy baskets, scores in transition, and also runs the offense like a player true PG. Mahlberg plays on and off ball but excels with the ball in his hands with his court awareness and ability to pass. This was a big weekend for me to evaluate the 2029 class with rankings quickly approaching, and he’s a player that I am high on at the moment. 

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. 

Mahlberg is one of the few underclassmen that Valor has on varsity and has earned his minutes. He’s a glue guy right now who is a workhorse guard that has to make the most of the opportunities that are there. He’s gotten in a few games and played well. He rebounds well for his size, gets out in transition, and excels when the game is sped up a bit. This will be a season of him getting acclimated to this Valor team and building chemistry but also building trust with teammates. I expect him to continue to be a rotation player for Valor in the second half and to show that he belongs. He’s a player to watch in this class.