There are an abundance of subplots worth noting for this upcoming weekend of basketball, but the showdown between AC Flora and Hartsville might be the most anticipated first-round game on tap. Obviously, people are excited about seeing South Carolina-signee Trae Hannibal (who also doubles as a human highlight reel) face off against one of the top sophomores across the state in Robert McCray. Right now, everyone knows Hannibal and not enough folks know about McCray, who has the chance to become a star point guard over these next few years.
Meanwhile, the interior battle will feature Patrick Iriel against Cesare Edwards, who are both already clear Division I prospects. Their contrasting styles should make for an interesting matchup, as it'll likely be won on the defensive end. They are still somewhat underrated, as Iriel holds a lone USC-Upstate offer and Edwards has none. Both of these guys could be candidates to receive scholarships after this showcase. It'll be fun to see two players from the Upward Stars organization go at one another, considering neither guy is going to give an inch.
There are a slew of college-level prospects that go beyond the aforementioned matchups, especially for AC Flora, who has the likes of Daniel Finney, DJ Sinkler, RJ Mobley, and various other noteworthy contributors. On the other side, Hartsville will need to rely on the production of guys like Ray O'Neal, Alvin Cuffie, and Demonte Capehart in order to hang with AC Flora's exceptional depth. It'll be fun to see this bloodbath of a contest, especially as the anticipation mounts throughout the week.