Georgia Cup I: Players to Look Out for from the 17U Division
SUWANEE, Ga—The first Georgia Cup of the 2023 travel season is in the books. These early events set the table for what’s to come. They’re learning points for us and serve as indicators for which players we need to make note of this season.
These are some players from the 17U division to look out for as the spring progresses.
Game Elite Blue was short-handed this weekend. They battled injuries and fatigue late, but they looked solid when they had everyone available. AJ Horton was one of the guys that particularly shined. Paired with Michael Pace, he helped form one of the best backcourts of the weekend. Horton did a little bit of everything for this team. He has a next-level frame and a skill set to go with it. He could see a boost in stock sooner than later.
Gillespie didn’t boast eye-popping stats over the weekend, but this wasn’t a weekend for that. This felt like a learning experience for this group while playing up in the 17U division. Only a sophomore, Gillespie is a rising star, and he showed glimpses of that at the first Georgia Cup of the season. He got his weekend going with 20 points on Friday and showed flashes of his potent scoring throughout the rest of the weekend. He also flexed some of his passing ability too. As he transitions from his high school season to playing with his AAU team, expect Gillespie to shine as spring turns to summer.
Metro Elite was one of the teams of the weekend and 6-foot-5 guard Dolhancyk had his fair share of moments to start his travel season. He’s a threat from the 3-point line. In their final four game, Dolhancyk finished with 20 points, and most of those came from beyond the arc. After the weekend, Dolhancyk picked up an offer from Lagrange College.
Pound for pound, big Kenneth Chime was one of the most intriguing prospects in the building. He was integral in Play With Heart’s run to the championship and had multiple big-time performances on the weekend. He’s big, he’s long, and he’s athletic. In other words, he’s a problem around the basket. He was at his best when he kept things simple and dominated around the basket.
