Salt Lake City, Utah – Day two of the Grind Session Championships delivered more intense matchups and standout performances as the teams battled for a spot in the Final Four in Kansas.
Game 1: Academy of Central Florida vs. Royal Crown Academy of Central Florida secured an 81-71 victory over Royal Crown in the opening game of the day. Martay Barnes led the way with an impressive double-double, scoring 32 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. With this win, Central Florida moves on to face Prolific Prep on Sunday, with a Final Four berth on the line.
Game 2: Winston-Salem vs. DME (Wisconsin) Winston-Salem dominated DME of Wisconsin, claiming an 80-61 win. The team took an early lead and never looked back. Adriel Nyorha filled the stat sheet with 18 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals. Nayte Spargo contributed 17 points, shooting a perfect 4-for-4 from three-point range while also pulling down 7 rebounds. Winston-Salem will face the winner of Utah Prep vs. The Fort on Sunday afternoon.
Game 3: DME (Florida) vs. Colorado Prep DME of Florida staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Colorado Prep 82-74. After trailing by a large margin at halftime, DME stormed back in the second half, eventually tying the game before pulling away in the fourth quarter. Nathan Kirk was named Player of the Game with 27 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block.
Game 4: Iowa United vs. Huntington Expression Iowa United secured a thrilling 74-70 overtime victory against Huntington Expression. The lead shifted multiple times throughout the game before the teams found themselves tied at the end of regulation. Iowa’s Kaleel Sutton-White was named Player of the Game with 12 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals. Iowa United will now take on DME at 12:45 PM on Sunday for a shot at the Final Four.
Game 5: Utah Prep vs. The Fort In the final game of the night, top-ranked ESPN prospect AJ Dybantsa and Utah Prep took on The Fort from Canada. The first half remained competitive, with Utah Prep holding a narrow lead at halftime. However, Utah Prep came out strong in the second half, tightening their defense and quickly extending their lead. They never relinquished control and secured a convincing win. Player of the Game: Anthony Felesi 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 steal. Utah Prep will face Winston-Salem at 4:45 PM on Sunday with a chance to go to the Grind Session Final Four!
With the stakes higher than ever, Sunday’s matchups will determine which teams will punch their ticket to Kansas for the Final Four.
