Midwest Mania: Saturday Storylines & Standouts

April 16, 2023 by Travis Graf

Saturday kicked off MADE Hoops' Midwest Mania in Hamilton, Ohio. There was no shortage of high-level action and talent on display, with highlight plays and players that popped up on the radar. We'll get into a ton of standouts shortly after the event ends on Sunday, but for now here's the main storylines and standouts that you need to know about from the first day of games.

Midwest Basketball Club Sweeps the Day, Now Trent Noah is on People's Radar

Midwest Basketball Club 17U 3SSB was the top performer of the day. They swept two EYBL programs on Saturday, knocking off Team Thad 66-64 and following that up with a win over All Ohio, 59-53. They won both games in a collective, team effort, but one of the standouts of the day was 2024 wing Trent Noah. He scored from the outside, drove the lane aggressively, and attacked the boards at a high rate, and you couldn't stand curtsied for Midwest Basketball Clubs' games without someone asking, "Who is that kid?', and some of those people being of high stature. Noah is due for a big spring on the 3SSB Circuit, and should be popping up on more and more college recruiting boards.

Florida Rebels Have Impressive First Game, The Family Bests Them in the Evening

Florida Rebels 17U squad had an eventful morning session, knocking off Wildcat Select on the back of impressive outings from Karter Knox, Liam McNeeley, and Marcus Allen. Shots were falling, the Rebels were getting to the rim at a high rate, and the team defense was good all around. In the evening matchup against The Family, all three of those players showed out at different times, but it wasn't enough to overcome their matchup. The Family had an electric offensive outing that was spearheaded by 2025 guard Darius Acuff Jr. The junior guard, who holds an offer from home state Michigan, scored from all levels and dictated the pace of the game, excellent on the break.

Team Thad Has the Pieces to Make Noise in EYBL Play

Despite dropping a close game later in the day, Team Thad 17U had a convincing win over UPLAY in the morning. The pieces are there, and as the group gels, they could be a team to watch for this spring and summer as they make a run at the Peach Jam title. 2025 Jayden Quaintance stood out with his play around the basket, snatching up endless boards, finishing through contact, and playing sound defense, while also stepping out and hitting some outside shots. 2024 wing Derrion Reid had a huge contribution as well, getting downhill and making a lot happen with a head of steam towards the basket. The upside is clearly there for 2025 guard Jasper Johnson and his ability to create for himself and his teammates is already notable while there's still clear room for more growth.