AJ Dybantsa, the top-rated prospect in the Class of 2025 and frontrunner to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, headlines the field at the Grind Session showcase in Paducah this weekend (Grind Session Photo)
By MICHAEL MISETIC, Grind Sesson
Some of the country’s best prep basketball players and teams are playing in Paducah this weekend.
The Grind Session, a winter circuit of high school basketball events featuring top boys and girls hoops prospects in the U.S., will host a four-day showcase at McCracken County High School and Reidland Middle School from today through Sunday.
The event will feature 38 teams from 18 states and Canada, 34 games, two of the Top 5 high school boys basketball teams in the country, and a long list of the nation’s top college prospects.
AJ Dybantsa, the top-rated prospect in the Class of 2025 and frontrunner to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, headlines a field filled with future college and professional talent. The 6-foot-9 forward plays for Utah Prep, one of 32 boys teams participating. Utah Prep currently holds the No. 4 spot in ESPN’s latest high school basketball rankings.
Darryn Peterson, the country’s consensus No. 2-ranked senior, will also take to the court this weekend. He plays for ESPN’s No. 2 team in the country, Prolific Prep.
The showcase will also feature six girls teams, highlighted by dunking sensation Oliviyah Edwards. The highly recruited Class of 2026 forward stars for Elite Prep out of Washington.
Six Kentucky programs are competing in the showcase: Paducah Tilghman (boys), Wesley Christian (boys), Carlisle County (boys), Christian County (boys), and McCracken County (boys & girls).
Here’s the full list of the Top 100-rated prospects playing in Paducah this week:
Boys
AJ Dybantsa, Utah Prep – Class of 2025 consensus #1 prospect
Darryn Peterson, Prolific Prep – Class of 2025 consensus #2 prospect
Mikel Brown, Jr., DME Academy – Class of 2025 #7 prospect (247Sports)
Niko Bundalo, Jr., Prolific Prep – Class of 2025 #28 prospect (ESPN)
Winters Grady, Prolific Prep – Class of 2025 #41 prospect (Rivals)
JJ Mandaquit, Utah Prep –Class of 2025 # 48 prospect (ESPN)
Mazi Mosley, Prolific Prep – Class of 2025 #59 prospect (247Sports)
Winters Grady, Prolific Prep – Class of 2025 #63 prospect (On3)
Ikenna Alozie, Dream City Christian – Class of 2026 #11 prospect (ESPN)
Jermal Jones, DME Academy – Class of 2026 #34 prospect (On3)
Miles Sadler, Dream City Christian – Class of 2026 #36 prospect (On3)
Anthony Felesi, Utah Prep – Class of 2026 # 43 prospect (ESPN)
Arafan Diane, Iowa United Prep – Class of 2026 #54 prospect (Rivals)
Jacob Lanier, DME Academy – Class of 2026 #60 prospect (247Sports)
Gabe Nesmith, Prolific Prep – Class of 2027 #8 prospect (ESPN)
Obinna Ekezie, Prolific Prep – Class of 2027 #10 prospect (ESPN)
Christopher Brown, Dream City Christian – Class of 2027 #35 prospect (On3)
Girls
Isabella Hines, Albuquerque Prep – Class of 2025 #30 prospect (ESPN HoopGurlz)
Cearah Parchment, Fort Erie International – Class of 2025 #40 prospect (ESPN HoopGurlz)
Oliviyah Edwards, Elite Prep – Class of 2026 #4 prospect (ESPN HoopGurlz)
The showcase opens with two games today, continues with nine games on Friday, 16 games on Saturday, and concludes with seven games on Sunday.
Here’s the full schedule:
McCracken County High School
Main Gym
Thursday, January 9
4:00 p.m. – Wesley Christian (KY) vs. SFBA Trinity Prep (NV)
5:45 p.m. – McCracken County (KY) vs. Massac County (IL) women
Friday, January 10
3:45 p.m. – Briarcrest Christian (TN) vs. Salesian College prep (CA)
5:15 p.m. – Albuquerque Prep (NM) vs. Ft. Erie International (ON, CAN) women
6:45 p.m. – Prolific prep (CA) vs. DME Academy (FL)
8:30 p.m. – Ft. Erie International (ON, CAN) vs. Dream City Christian (AZ)
Saturday, January 11
10:00 a.m. – Curie (IL) vs. Briarcrest Christian (TN)
11:30 a.m. – Ft. Erie International (ON, CAN) vs. Elite Prep (WA) women
1:00 p.m. – Vienna (IL) vs. Carlisle County (KY)
2:30 p.m. – Salesian College Prep (CA) vs. TBD
4:15 p.m. – DME Academy (FL) vs. Iowa United (IA)
5:45 p.m. – McCracken County (KY) vs. New Madrid Co. Central (MO)
7:30 p.m. – Dream City Christian (AZ) vs. Prolific Prep (CA)
9:15 p.m. – Winston Salem Christian (NC) vs. Ft. Erie International (ON, CAN)
Sunday, January 12
10:00 a.m. – Iowa United (IA) vs. Winston Salem Christian (NC)
11:45 a.m. – Utah prep (UT) vs. DME Academy (FL)
1:30 p.m. – Hamilton Heights (TN) vs. Ft. Erie International (ON, CAN) women
3:00 p.m. – McCluer North (MO) vs. Paducah Tilghman (KY)
Auxiliary Gym
Friday, January 10
4:00 p.m. – PDI Prep (OH) vs. SFA Academy (FL)
5:45 p.m. – Ft. Erie International 2 (ON, CAN) vs. St. John’s DME (WI)
7:30 p.m. – Albuquerque Prep (NM) vs. Tri-City Prep (ON, CAN)
Saturday, January 11
10:15 a.m. – Legion Prep (TX) vs. MN Prep (MN)
12:00 p.m. – Victory Rock Prep (FL) vs. Albuquerque Prep (NM)
1:45 p.m. – Hamilton Heights (TN) vs. Ft. Erie International 2 (ON, CAN)
3:30 p.m. – Triad (IL) vs. Christian County (KY)
5:00 p.m. – Hamilton Heights (TN) vs. Albuquerque Prep (NM) women
6:45 p.m. – St. John’s DME (WI) vs. Wilson Academy (GA)
8:30 p.m. – Chi Prep (IL) vs. PDI Prep (OH)
10:15 p.m. – Tri-City Prep (ON, CAN) vs. SFA Academy (FL)
Sunday, January 12
10:15 a.m. – Elite Prep (WA) vs. Hamilton Heights (TN) women
12:00 p.m. – MN Prep (MN) vs. Hamilton Heights (TN)
1:45 p.m. – Chi Prep (IL) vs. Legion Prep (TX)
Reidland Middle School
Friday, January 10
4:15 p.m. – SFBA Trinity Prep (NV) vs. Victory Rock Prep (FL)
6:00 p.m. – Wilson Academy (GA) vs. Wesley Christian (KY)
