Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, Niko Bundalo, and Mikel Brown, Jr. score nearly half of the team’s points in 105–92 victory.
Four of the Grind Session’s biggest stars of this past season showcased their skills in front of a national audience Tuesday in the 2025 McDonald’s All-American Game, leading the West team to a 105-92 victory over the East.
Utah Prep’s AJ Dybantsa, Prolific Prep’s Darryn Peterson and Niko Bundalo, and DME Academy’s Mikel Brown, Jr. combined for nearly half (52) of the West’s points, ending a four-game losing streak to the East in the annual game that feature a myriad of future NBA players.
Here’s more on each of their impressive performances:
Darryn Peterson
Peterson delivered an MVP-worthy performance with 18 points, which was the most of any player, while shooting 50% from the field, showcasing his high-flying athleticism. He added a team-high seven rebounds, with a game-high three assists and three steals in the victory. The five-star Kansas commit came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 of the West’s 31 points in the final frame. He had a trio of dunks with two coming in transition and one coming in the half court.
AJ Dybantsa
The BYU commit and consensus No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2025 finished as the contest’s second-leading scorer with 17 points on 58% shooting, while adding five rebounds and an assist. He flashed on numerous scoring plays and showed off several impressive dunks, including going coast-to-coast for a dunk in the final minute that put an exclamation point on the West’s victory. Dybantsa’s most memorable dunk, however, came the night before during the Sprite Jam Fest slam dunk contest when he jumped over 6-foot-3 WNBA star Angel Reese before throwing down a powerful slam.
Mikel Brown, Jr.
A consensus top-three point guard in the 2025 cycle, Brown showed fans of the Louisville men’s basketball program what to expect from their top incoming freshman. Playing 19 minutes, he finished with a game-high five assists, as well as five points on 2-of-4 shooting, two rebounds and a steal. Brown also shined the night before during the Sprite Jam Fest three-point shootout. Not only did he win the contest, sinking 24 of his 30 attempts including 5-for-5 on money balls, his 28 points set a new record for the event.
Niko Bundalo
Bundalo’s versatility and limitless potential was on full display, as he scored 12 points in 17 minutes on 60% shooting. He also contributed six rebounds, one steal, and one block to the stat sheet. The Washington commit showed his unique skill set for a 6-foot-10 forward and ability to stretch the floor and create mismatches.
“We couldn’t be prouder of these young men for being named McDonald’s All-Americans and proving why they are some of the very best talents in the prep ranks,” said Grind Session co-founder and CEO Scott Waldrup. “It’s a tremendous honor for them and our circuit, and we can’t wait to watch them inevitably take over the college game in the coming years.”
