Elite Prep Basketball Showcase Tips Off in Winston-Salem This Weekend

An elite high school basketball showcase is set to tip off this weekend at Winston-Salem Christian School. The three-day event (February 16-18) will feature 13 teams, 16 games, and an impressive lineup of some of the nation's top prep prospects.

The Grind Session is a winter circuit of high school basketball events from late November until early March that consists of elite teams from all over the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. To put into perspective how good this circuit is: Over the past 10 years, hundreds of teams have participated on the circuit with nearly 3,000 players from those teams having gone on to play collegiate or professional basketball.

Some of The Grind Session’s more notable alumni include Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets), DeAndre Ayton (Phoenix Suns), Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic), Jalen Green (Houston Rockets), and Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets), just to name a few.

“The Grind Session has taken high school basketball to new heights over the past decade, becoming the home and proving ground for the nation's best prospects and teams. Hundreds of teams have participated on the circuit and over 2,500 players from those teams have gone on to play collegiate or professional basketball,” said Cesar Vizcarrondo, Chief Brand Officer of The Grind Session. “College coaches are looking for players that are ready, seasoned and developed to play college basketball and our level of competition is that."

The showcase opens with six games on Friday starting at 11:30 a.m., continues with six games on Saturday starting at 11:00 a.m., and concludes with four games on Sunday starting at 10:00 a.m.

Local powerhouses Winston-Salem Christian and Quality Education Academy will be two of nine boys teams from five states and Canada competing in the three-day event. The other participating teams include 1 of 1 Academy (NC), Balboa School (FL), Bella Vista Prep (AZ), Fort Erie International Academy (ON, CAN), Pace Academy, (TX), SFBA Trinity Prep (NV), and West Oaks (FL).

The competition will also showcase an impressive list of some of the nation’s top prep prospects across the ’24, ’25 and ’26 classes, including:

• Tyler Bailey | Winston-Salem Christian | Class of 2024
• Makhan Diouf | Bella Vista Prep | Class of 2024
• Luke Bamgboye | Bella Vista | Class of 2024
• Kyle Green | Pace Academy | Class of 2024
• Pape N’Diaye | SFBA Trinity Prep | Class of 2024
• Jordan Lowery | Winston-Salem Christian | Class of 2025
• Yohance Connor | 1 of 1 Academy | Class of 20026

Five girls teams from four states and Canada – Academy of Central Florida (FL), Bella Vista Prep (AZ), Bond Academy (ON, CAN), Dream City Christian (AZ), and Example Academy (IL) – will also take to the court during the showcase.