Grind Session Stop in Louisville Will Feature Some of the Best Prep Players

DME Academy's Ryan Hampton blocks a shot at a Grind Session event earlier this season. (Grind Session Photo)

By MICHAEL MISETIC, Grind Session

Some of the nation’s top high school basketball stars are playing in Louisville this weekend.

Grind Session, the longest-running winter circuit of elite high school basketball events featuring top prospects from across the U.S. and Canada, is hosting a three-day showcase at St. Xavier High School and Fern Creek High School from Friday through Sunday.

This weekend’s event will feature 22 teams from 10 states and Canada, 21 games, and an impressive lineup of some of the nation’s Top 100 prospects, including five-star junior Ryan Hampton. A consensus Top 10 recruit and widely considered the best small forward in the Class of 2027, Hampton plays for Orlando, Florida’s DME Academy, one of 16 men’s teams participating.  

The showcase will also feature six women’s teams, highlighted by sophomore sensation Kamora Moore. The highly recruited Class of 2028 point guard stars for Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Tennessee.

Three Kentucky schools are competing in the men’s showcase: St. Xavier High School, Male High School, and Daviess County High School.

Here’s the full list of Top 100-rated prospects playing this weekend:

Men

    Toni Bryant (’26), Zephyrhills Christian Academy – ESPN #14, 247Sports #23, Rivals #20
    Marcis Ponder (’26), Gillion Academy – ESPN #62, 247Sports #67, Rivals #55
    Willie Burnett III (’26), Gillion Academy – ESPN #77, Rivals #69
    Joseph Hartman (’26), The Rock School – ESPN #82, 247Sports #93, Rivals #83
    Julius Price (’26), St. Joseph – 247Sports #86
    Ryan Hampton (’27), DME Academy – ESPN #5, 247Sports #7, Rivals #5
    Josh Lindsay (’28), St. Xavier – 247Sports #27, Rivals #35
    Kenyon St. Louis (’28), Winston Salem Christian – Rivals #84

Women

    Shania James (’26), Example Academy – ESPN #78
    Kamora Moore (’28), Hamilton Heights – ESPN #19

The action starts with five games on Friday, continues with 11 games on Saturday, and concludes with five games on Sunday.

Here’s the full schedule:

FRIDAY

St. Xavier High School

2:00 p.m. – Victory Rock Prep (FL) vs. Orangeville Prep (ON, CAN)

3:45 p.m. – St. Joseph (CA) vs. Daviess County (KY)

5:15 p.m. – DNA Prep (CA) vs. iSchool (TX)

7:00 p.m. – Zephyrhills Academy (FL) vs. Gillion Academy (VA)

8:45 p.m. – Huntington Expression Prep (WV) vs. West Oaks Academy (FL)

SATURDAY

St. Xavier High School

10:00 a.m. – Hamilton heights (TN) vs. Life Prep (KS) Women

11:45 a.m. – Gillion Academy (VA) vs. DNA Prep (CA)

1:30 p.m. – iSchool (TX) vs. Huntington Expression Prep (WV)

3:15 p.m. – West Oaks Academy (FL) vs. Winston Salem Christian (NC)

5:00 p.m. – DME Academy (FL) vs. Zephyrhills Christian (FL)

6:45 p.m. – St. Xavier (KY) vs. St. Joseph (CA)

8:15 p.m. – Male (KY) vs. DNA Prep (CA)

Fern Creek High School

11:45 a.m. – Example Academy (IL) vs. Huntington Expression prep (WV) Women

1:30 p.m. – Example Varsity (IL) vs. Phenom Scholastic (KS) Women

3:15 p.m. – Orangeville Prep (ON, CAN vs. The Rock (FL)

5:00 p.m. – Tri-City Prep (ON, CAN) vs. Victory Rock Prep (FL)

SUNDAY

St. Xavier High School

12:00 p.m. – Winston Salem Christian (NC) vs. DME Academy (FL)

1:45 p.m. – The Rock (FL) vs. Tri-City Prep (ON, CAN)

3:30 p.m. – Life Prep (KS) vs. Example Academy (IL) Women

5:15 p.m. – Huntington Expression Prep (WV) vs. Example Varsity (IL) Women

7:00 p.m. – Phenom Scholastic (KS) vs. Hamilton Heights (TN) Women

Admission is $15 a day, and kids age 6 and under are free.