BENTON, Ky.—Some of the nation’s best high school basketball players are headed back to Paducah this weekend, when the Grind Session hosts its annual Mustang Madness showcase at McCracken County High School from Friday through Sunday.
The three-day event will be headlined by national powerhouse Prolific Prep, which is currently ranked second nationally among prep schools, according to both Sports Illustrated and ESPN. The Florida-based program is one of 12 men’s teams participating and is led by prospective 2027 NBA Draft lottery picks Caleb Holt and Bruce Branch III.
The showcase will also feature nine women’s teams, highlighted by Jacy Abii and Gigi Battle. The highly recruited Class of 2026 guards star for Legion Prep and DME Academy, respectively.
Six Kentucky high schools are competing in the showcase: Paducah Tilghman (men), Henderson County (men), Graves County (men), McCracken County (men and women), and Trigg County (women).
Here’s the full list of Top 100-rated prospects playing this weekend:
Men’s Side
- Caleb Holt (’26), Prolific Prep – ESPN #5, 247Sports #5, Rivals #3
- Bruce Branch III (’26), Prolific Prep – ESPN #6, 247Sports #8, Rivals #2
- Davion Adkins (’26), Prolific Prep – ESPN #56, 247Sports #34, Rivals #36
- Marcis Ponder (’26), Gillion Academy – ESPN #62, 247Sports #67, Rivals #55
- Willie Burnett III (’26), Gillion Academy – ESPN #77, Rivals #69
- Nasir Anderson (’27), Prolific Prep – ESPN #8, 247Sports #8, Rivals 5
- Martay Barnes (’27), Academy of Central Florida – ESPN #49, 247Sports #41, Rivals #48
Women’s Side
- Jacy Abii (’26), Legion Prep – ESPN #9
- Gigi Battle (’26), DME Academy – ESPN #32
- Kamora Pruitt (’26), Legion Prep – ESPN #38
- Rieyan Desouze (’26), Legion Prep – ESPN #44
- Chikae Desdunes (’26), DME Academy – ESPN #51
- Shania James (’26), Example Academy – ESPN #78
- Jemini Mitchell (’27), Legion Prep – ESPN #16
- Timani Harris (’27), DME Academy – ESPN #54
- Kamora Moore (’28), Hamilton Heights – ESPN #19
The action starts with five games on Friday, continues with eight games on Saturday, and concludes with five games on Sunday.
Here’s the full schedule:
FRIDAY, JANUARY 9
Main Gym
4:00 p.m. – Hamilton Heights (TN) vs. Winston Salem Christian (NC)
5:45 p.m. – McCracken County (KY) vs. Trigg County (KY) Women
7:15 p.m. – Gillion Academy (VA) vs. Academy of Central Florida (FL)
9:00 p.m. – Huntington Expression Prep (WV) vs. Prolific Prep (FL)
Auxiliary Gym
5:30 p.m. – Phenom Scholastic (KS) vs. Huntington Expression Prep (WV) Women
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10
Main Gym
10:30 a.m. – Academy of Central Florida (FL) vs. Huntington Expression Prep (WV)
12:15 p.m. – Henderson County (KY) vs. Graves County (KY)
1:45 p.m. – Legion Prep (TX) vs. Example Academy (IL) Women
3:30 p.m. – DME Academy (FL) vs. Hamilton Heights (TN) Women
5:15 p.m. – McCracken County (KY) vs. New Madrid County Central (MO)
6:45 p.m. – Prolific Prep (FL) vs. Hamilton Heights (TN)
8:30 p.m. – Winston Salem Christian (NC) vs. Gillion Academy (VA)
Auxiliary Gym
12:30 p.m. – Huntington Expression Prep (WV) vs. Example varsity (IL) Women
SUNDAY, JANUARY 11
Main Gym
10:00 a.m. – Example Varsity (IL) vs. Phenom Scholastic (KS) Women
11:45 a.m. – Example Academy (IL) vs. DME Academy (FL) Women
1:30 p.m. – Hamilton Heights (TN) vs. Legion Prep (TX) Women
3:15 p.m. – Paducah Tilghman (KY) vs. McCluer North (MO)
5:00 p.m. – Hamilton Heights (TN) vs. Huntington Expression Prep (WV)
Admission is $15 a day, and kids age 6 and under are free.
To put into perspective how good the Grind Session is: over 3,000 of the circuit’s alumni have gone on to succeed at the collegiate and professional levels, with approximately 100 NBA players and more than 20 first-round NBA draft picks emerging from its ranks. That list includes recent NBA champions Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder).
