Top-ranked class of ’25 recruits to lead their teams in marquee matchup of national powerhouses.
The two top-ranked high school basketball players in the 2025 recruiting class – AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson – will be taking center stage in Atlanta this weekend when they go head-to-head in a mid-season showdown of future NBA stars. The Grind Session hoopers play for Utah Prep and Prolific Prep respectively, the No. 8 and No. 7 teams in ESPN’s current national rankings.
The highly anticipated matchup, which will also feature a slew of other 5-star and 4-star recruits, will take place on Saturday, February 8 at Meadowcreek High School in Norcross, Georgia. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 PM (Eastern).
Dybantsa, who played for Prolific Prep last season before transferring to Utah Prep in the summer, is the No. 1 prospect in the 2025 recruiting cycle and presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-9 BYU commit is joined by an impressive list of other top prospects on the Utah Prep roster, including fellow seniors Xavion Staton and JJ Mandaquit, as well as standout junior Anthony Felesi.
On the other side of the court, Peterson is the country’s No. 2-ranked senior and, like Dybantsa, is expected to be a lottery pick in the 2026 NBA draft. The 6-foot-6 Kansas commit leads a Prolific Prep roster that features some of the best talent ever seen on a high school squad. He’s joined by an impressive list of other 5-star prospects, including fellow senior Nico Bundalo and sophomores Gabe Nesmith and Obinna Ekezie. The roster also features Michigan-bound Winters Grady. Junior Seven Spurlock is one to keep an eye on.
Dybantsa, Peterson, and Bundalo were recently selected to play in this year’s McDonald’s All-American Game at New York’s Barclays Center in April.
This weekend’s meeting between Prolific Prep and Utah Prep will be the second time this season the two schools play. Prolific Prep won December’s thriller 76-70, fueled by Peterson’s 32 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Dybantsa put on a show himself with 28 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
“With so much talent on both sides of the court, fans are in for an exciting matchup that promises to be a thrilling battle between two incredibly skilled and determined teams,” said Grind Session co-founder and CEO Scott Waldrup. “The stage is set for a showdown of epic proportions between these powerhouses.”
Admission is $15/day. Children 6 and under are free.
The game will be live streamed on Tanager Sports.
