While the 2024-25 Grind Session season doesn’t officially tip off until November 1-3 in Denver, 11 teams still need to compete in a “Play-In Tournament” to earn a final spot in the circuit’s “Power Conference” roundhouse.
And that clash is coming October 3-6 at Hopkinsville High School on Koffman Drive.
This Power Conference, once finished, is anchored by 12 teams, and is considered the largest collection of elite boys prep basketball programs from the United States and Canada. For 2024-25, it consists of teams that feature more than 20 players ranked in the top 100 of the 2025, 2026 and 2027 classes, including Utah Prep’s A.J. Dybantsa — considered the No. 1 prospect in the 2025 senior class.
The 11 confirmed teams for the Power Conference include:
· Prolific Prep (Napa, CA)
· Dream City Christian (Glendale, AZ)
· Utah Prep (Hurricane, UT)
· Balboa School (Clearwater, FL)
· Academy of Central Florida (Orlando, FL)
· DME Academy (Daytona Beach, FL)
· Fort Erie International (Fort Erie, ON, Canada)
· Accelerated Prep (Denver, CO)
· Winston-Salem Christian (Winston-Salem, NC)
· Bella Vista Prep (Scottsdale, AZ)
· Royal Crown School (Toronto, ON, Canada)
This “play-in” scheduled for Hopkinsville will feature single-elimination games between 11 teams from 10 states, all pitted in “do-or-die” situations. Losing teams will fall from contention, while winners will advance until only two remain for a championship game — where the winner snags spot No. 12.
Those 11 teams are:
· Colorado Prep (CO)
· Iowa United (IA)
· MN Prep (MN)
· Quality Education (NC)
· Rosemary Anderson (OR)
· SFBA Trinity Prep (NV)
· St. John’s DME (WI)
· Victory Rock Prep (FL)
· Wesley Christian (KY)
· West Oaks (FL)
· Wilson Academy (GA)
All games can be watched live on Tanager Sports.
Schedule
Thursday, October 3
· Game #4 (5:00 p.m. ET) – SFBA Trinity Prep (NV) vs. St. John’s DME (WI)
· Game #2 (6:30 p.m. ET) – Rosemary Anderson (OR) vs. Quality Education (NC)
· Game #3 (8:00 p.m. ET) – Minnesota Prep (MN) vs. Wilson Academy (GA)
Friday, October 4
· Game #1 (3:00 p.m. ET): Wesley Christian (KY) vs. Victory Rock Prep (FL)
· Game #6 (4:30 p.m. ET) – Colorado Prep (CO) vs. G2 Winner
· Game #7 (6:00 p.m. ET) – West Oaks (FL) vs. G3 Winner
· Game #5 (7:30 p.m. ET) – Iowa United (IA) vs. G1 Winner
Saturday, October 5
· Game #8 (2:30 p.m. ET) – G4 Winner vs. G5 Winner
· Game #9 (4:00 p.m. ET) – G6 Winner vs. G7 Winner
Sunday, October 6
· Championship Game (2:30 p.m. ET) – G8 Winner vs. G9 Winner
