Day 1 – Friday, January 31st
Colorado Prep 79, ABC Prep 73
Colorado Prep secured a tough win, dominating the rebounding battle 58-27.
- Branden Mason Jr led Colorado Prep with 26 points and 7 rebounds.
- Caden Miller contributed 16 points and 3 rebounds.
- Josiah Sanders of ABC Prep delivered a stellar performance with 37 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block, earning him Game MVP honors.
- Ulysses Webb and Frank Belibi Jr each scored 13 points while grabbing 9 rebounds for Colorado.
AZ Compass 101, Dream City Christian 67 (Women’s Game)
AZ Compass overwhelmed Dream City Christian with a dominant offensive display.
- Ivona Djikanovic earned Game MVP with 26 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 blocks.
- Alexiz Graise scored 24 points with 4 rebounds.
- Kamya Young added 21 points and 8 rebounds.
- Amaya Malone put up 16 points and 6 rebounds.
- Emma Slack made history for Dream City Christian, scoring 35 points and hitting a record-breaking 11 three-pointers. Emma broke her own record of 9 three point shots and has the most out of both the men and women.
Bella Vista 78, Albuquerque Prep 66
Bella Vista controlled the game behind key contributions:
- Aiyanna Perkins had 27 points and 7 rebounds.
- Dianalynn Howell fell just shy of a double-double with 14 points and 9 rebounds.
- Mackenzie Buckner notched a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds.
- Bella Hines of Albuquerque Prep posted 26 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.
- Tamaiah Gary added a double-double with 21 points and 13 boards.
Prolific Prep 69, Accelerated Prep 66
A close battle saw Prolific Prep edge out Accelerated Prep.
- Rajon Roberts was named Game MVP with 23 points and 5 assists.
- Mazi Mosley chipped in 14 points and 5 rebounds.
- Segun Ezekiel Obe led Accelerated Prep with 19 points and 12 rebounds.
- Idris Abubakar added 22 points and 8 rebounds.
Dream City Christian 81, Academy of Central Florida 49
Dream City Christian closed out the day with a dominant victory.
- Jalin Holland led with 17 points.
- Martay Barnes and Justin Roman each had 11 points in the loss for Central Florida.
Day 2 – Saturday, February 1st
Rosemary Anderson 82, Albuquerque Prep 68
- Hunter Carter shined with 27 points and 7 assists, earning Game MVP honors.
- Christian Gilliland led Albuquerque Prep with 17 points in the loss.
Elite Prep 89, AZ Compass 83 (Women’s Game)
- Oliviyah Edwards dominated with 29 points and 18 rebounds, earning Player of the Game.
- Sara Mangan drained 8-of-11 three-pointers, finishing with 28 points.
- Alexiz Graise and Ivona Djikanovic added 23 and 24 points, respectively.
Central Florida 74, Accelerated Prep 59
- Martay Barnes exploded for 28 points, earning Game MVP.
- Xaviel Rodriguez led Accelerated Prep with 17 points.
Prolific Prep 67, Colorado Prep 60
- The game was controversially canceled at the start of the third quarter after a benches-clearing incident following a foul.
Albuquerque Prep 79, Dream City Christian 59 (Women’s Game)
- Bella Hines led the charge with 41 points and 9 rebounds.
- Emma Slack scored 21 points, knocking down 5 three-pointers for Dream City.
Iowa United 50, Dream City Christian 48
- Arafan Diane posted a monster double-double with 20 points and 20 rebounds.
- Alejandro Aviles led Dream City Christian with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Day 3 – Sunday, February 2nd
Iowa United 60, Academy of Central Florida 50
- Liam Mitakaro scored 17 points in the win and was named game MVP.
- Martay Barnes led Central Florida with 19 points in the loss.
- Arafan Diane continued his dominance, pulling down 11 more rebounds after grabbing 20 the night before for Iowa United.
The Duel in the Desert proved to be an exhilarating showcase of high school basketball talent, featuring breakout performances, record-breaking moments, and intense competition. Stay tuned for more action as the Grind Session heads to Atlanta this coming weekend February 7-9. All games will be live streamed at www.tanagersports.tv.
