As the 2024-25 Grind Session season approaches, excitement is building for the elite prep basketball circuit’s “Play-In Tournament,” set to take place October 3-6 at Hopkinsville High School on Koffman Drive. This high-stakes event will determine the final team to enter the Grind Session’s prestigious Power Conference for the upcoming season.
While the official season tips off in Denver on November 1-3, the Play-In Tournament will be the last opportunity for 11 teams from across the country to claim the coveted 12th spot in the Power Conference. The Power Conference is widely regarded as the top assembly of elite boys’ prep basketball programs in North America, featuring standout players ranked in the top 100 of the 2025, 2026, and 2027 recruiting classes. Among these is Utah Prep’s A.J. Dybantsa, the top-rated prospect in the class of 2025.
Power Conference Teams Set for 2024-25:
The 11 confirmed teams already in 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)
These programs will soon be joined by one more team, determined through the Play-In Tournament at Hopkinsville.
Play-In Tournament Teams:
The tournament will feature single-elimination games with 11 teams battling for survival. Each team is from a different state, with the losing sides eliminated from contention and winners advancing until only two remain for a championship showdown. The victor of that final game will earn the coveted 12th spot in the Power Conference.
The competing teams are:
- Colorado Prep (CO)
- Iowa United (IA)
- Minnesota 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)
Tournament Schedule:
Here’s the full breakdown of matchups and game times:
Thursday, October 3:
- 5:00 p.m. ET: SFBA Trinity Prep (NV) vs. St. John’s DME (WI)
- 6:30 p.m. ET: Rosemary Anderson (OR) vs. Quality Education (NC)
- 8:00 p.m. ET: Minnesota Prep (MN) vs. Wilson Academy (GA)
Friday, October 4:
- 3:00 p.m. ET: Wesley Christian (KY) vs. Victory Rock Prep (FL)
- 4:30 p.m. ET: Colorado Prep (CO) vs. Winner of Rosemary Anderson vs. Quality Education
- 6:00 p.m. ET: West Oaks (FL) vs. Winner of Minnesota Prep vs. Wilson Academy
- 7:30 p.m. ET: Iowa United (IA) vs. Winner of Wesley Christian vs. Victory Rock Prep
Saturday, October 5:
- 2:30 p.m. ET: Winner of SFBA Trinity Prep vs. St. John’s DME vs. Winner of Iowa United vs. Victory Rock Prep
- 4:00 p.m. ET: Winner of Colorado Prep vs. Winner of West Oaks vs. Minnesota Prep
Sunday, October 6:
- 2:30 p.m. ET: Championship Game – Final two teams compete for the 12th Power Conference spot
All games will be streamed live on Tanager Sports, giving basketball fans a front-row seat to the action as these teams battle it out for their chance to join the elite Power Conference lineup.
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