The Grind Session made a stop in Orlando this past weekend. Hosted by Southeastern Prep, games took place Thursday through Sunday. The Grind Session has become the home for independent programs with high-quality basketball talent across the U.S. and Canada. While the top team in The Grind Session’s Power Conference, Prolific Prep out of Fort Lauderdale, did not attend, the remaining top echelon of teams made an appearance. Grind Session games are played with nine-minute quarters and a 24-second shot clock.
Game One: CN Royal Crown School vs. CA DNA Prep
No doubt Royal Crown School was glad to get out of the Canadian cold for a long weekend. Each team got off to good starts, trading baskets and leads for the first four minutes. RC was the first to gain some separation, going up 14-8 and forcing a DNA timeout. That slowed down Royal Crown’s momentum and heading into the second quarter, RC was up three at 19-16.
An 8-0 run by RC was the start to a 21-11 quarter that put them up 40-27 at the break. DNA made a variety of offensive and defensive adjustments at the half, but nothing seemed to slow down Royal Crown. The margin slowly grew to twenty and RC ended up winning by the score of 83-62.
RC was led by both 6’2 senior Andy Gemao and 6’4 senior Jacob McGregor, each with 19 points. Caleb Zhu, a 6’10 senior, followed up with 12 points and 15 rebounds while 6’8 senior Max Caliste tallied 11 points.
For DNA Prep, 6’3 sophomore Jayden Robinson led the team with 17 points. Dylan McGhee, a 6’8 junior, added 12 points, 6’8 junior King Rashal finished with 11 points and Shameek Casillas, a 6’2 senior, put up 10 points.
Game Two: TX iSchool Academy vs. VA Gillion Academy
Both teams had played earlier in the session. Despite Gillion Academy’s size advantage, iSchool was able to match them bucket for bucket. Gillion led 13-11 heading into the second period. iSchool finally grabbed the lead midway through the period and led by just three, 28-25, at the half.
In the third, Gillion took back the lead at 33-31 with five minutes remaining in the quarter. The lead changed several times, but when the horn sounded to end the quarter, the game was knotted at 44-44. Midway through the final period, it looked like iSchool had things in hand, up 62-54. At that point Gillion Academy put together an 11-4 run over the next 3:30 to draw to within one at 66-65. With forty seconds remaining, iSchool got a putback to go up three. Gillion Academy responded in short order as 6’6 senior Willie Burnett drained a three-pointer off the dribble to tie the game at 68-68 with twenty-five seconds remaining. iSChool looked for the final shot but turned the ball over with eight seconds left. After a timeout, Gillion Academy’s 5’11 junior Camontae Griffin found himself with the ball between mid-court and the three-point line with time running down. He calmly but quickly took a couple of dribbles and launched a jumper just inside the arc. It dropped through to give Gillion Academy a pulsating 70-68 victory.
Burnett finished with 30 points to lead Gillion Academy. Marcis Ponder, a 7’0 senior, wasn’t too far from a triple double with 23 points, 15 rebounds and 6 blocks.
For iSchool, 6’3 senior Keonte Greybear lead the way with 27 points. Terrance Burri, a 6’7 senior, added 14 points and 12 rebounds while 6’4 junior Kayden Johnson finished with 13 points.
Game Three: AZ Bella Vista Academy vs. NC Winston-Salem Christian
BV Academy got out quickly in this one, leading 13-7 at the four-minute mark and 24-16 going into the second period. The attacking nature of the guards for BV Academy had WSC on its heels for much of the period and at the break, BV was up seven, 37-30.
An 8-0 run by WSC to start the third quarter gave them a 38-37 lead, their first of the game. BV didn’t allow that to last long and was quick to turn the tables. They finished the third outscoring WSC 22-8 and led 59-46 with one period remaining. WSC was unable to trim the deficit below double-digits in the final quarter and BV won by the score of 77-64.
Hassan Abdul Dakir, a 6’10 sophomore, paced BV Academy with 16 points and 9 rebounds. Nathan Yambayamba, a 6’7 junior, added 15 points while 6’1 senior Jordan Charles tallied 14 points and 6’4 senior Noah George scored 11 points.
For Winston-Salem Christian, Elton James, a 6’8 senior, had 23 points and 10 rebounds. Kenyon St. Louis, a 6’2 sophomore, had 13 points and 7 assists while Josiah Johnson Freeman finished with 11 points.
Game Four: FL Southeastern Prep vs. WV Huntington Prep
By far, our greatest hope for the day was to FINALLY see Southeastern Prep’s “Big Five” lineup with 6’3 junior Beckham Black, 6’6 senior Jaxon Richardson, 6’9 senior Toni Bryant, 6’9 junior C.J. Rosser, and 7’1 junior Obinna Ekezie. Richardson and Bryant are McDonald’s All-American’s while Black, Rosser, and Ekezie are top ten nationally in the 2027 Class.
Unfortunately, Rosser hadn’t fully recovered from a foot injury, so he was out. To add insult to injury, Richardson turned his ankle on the very first offensive play and was done for the day. He will most likely be out until the Grind Session Playoffs later next month.
All that being said, SEPA still had plenty of size and talent with which to handle Huntington Prep. However, the game sure didn’t start out that way. SEPA had a 12-9 lead midway through the opening period, but Huntington was the team on top after one quarter of play by the score of 21-18. SEPA flexed its muscles to open the second period. They outscored Huntington 17-5 over the first five minutes of the quarter and at the break led by twelve, 42-30.
The teams played evenly in the third quarter and SEPA’s lead was eleven, 55-44, going into the final period of regulation. That is when things got VERY interesting. With 3:45 remaining, Huntington had made it all the way back to tie the score at 60-60. With 1:30 left to play, the score was still knotted, this time at 65-65. Bryant hit a pair of free throws with 1:20 left but Aviv Aronov of Huntington, a 6’4 senior, tied the game up with a bucket inside. After empty possessions for both teams, Black of Southeastern Prep went to the line for two shots with 11.2 seconds left. He hit the first but missed the second, giving Huntington life. After timeout by Huntington, SEPA was able to use their under-the-limit foul count to their advantage. Twice they fouled Huntington after inbounding the ball. So now with just under four seconds to play, Huntington was inbounding the ball and SEPA could no longer afford to foul. Aronov got the ball in the corner and launched a shot for Huntington. The shot was off but 6’7 junior Taj Saragba got past his block out and tipped the ball in just before the horn to give Huntington a shocking victory.
Or so everyone thought.
SEPA used its challenge to review the bucket. When slowed down frame by frame, it was clear that the ball was in Saragba’s hand when the clock showed 0.0 and the red light appears on the backboard. The goal was waved off and now it was Southeastern Prep’s turn to celebrate a one-point win by the score of 68-67.
Black led SEPA with 19 points as well as grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out 6 assists. Aiden Groce, a 6’2 junior, put up 18 points. Bryant finished with 13 points and Ekezie added 11 points.
For Huntington Prep, Aronov finished with 22 points. Tristen Edwards, a 6’8 freshman, had 16 points and 14 rebounds, 10 of them on the offensive end. Saragba added 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Game Five: Southeastern Prep 2 vs. CN Fort Erie Prep
SE Prep 2 stepped into The Grind Session as a replacement for Zephyrhills Christian after their coach was let go and most of the players sought greener pastures, a few at SEPA for this squad.
SEPA 2 came out flat and Fort Erie was quick to take advantage. They led 11-4 midway thru the opening period and 24-12 after one. The closest SEPA got was 59-49 with 3:30 left in the final period and by then it was too little too late. Ft. Erie would increase its lead to win by the score of 71-54.
Eli Jolin, a 6’6 senior, led Ft. Erie with 12 points while Anthony Ponga, a 6’4 senior, added 10 points.
SEPA was led by Treymaine Belanger, a 6’8 senior, with 11 points while 6’6 sophomore Rukai Bethal finished with 9 points and 12 rebounds.