St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada — November 7–9, 2025
The Grind Session officially ushered in a new era with the debut of the Contenders Conference, hosting its first session at the historic Ridley College campus in Ontario. Over the course of three days, teams from across North America competed in 45 high-intensity games, offering a deep look into the next wave of rising prep basketball talent.
Designed to spotlight emerging programs and developing prospects, the Contenders Conference provides a national platform for exposure, elite competition, and year-round evaluation under the Grind Session umbrella. The inaugural weekend at Ridley College did exactly that—delivering breakout performances, dramatic finishes, and the early shaping of storylines for the 2025–26 campaign.
Three Teams Go Undefeated
Three programs separated themselves from the field, each finishing with perfect 3–0 records:
Ridley College (Canada)
- Record: 3–0
- Points Scored: 235
- Points Allowed: 132
Ridley College defended its home floor with discipline, balance, and a dynamic offense. Their depth shined across all three games, and they quickly emerged as one of the premier teams to watch this season.
King Heights Academy (Canada)
- Record: 3–0
- Points Scored: 287
- Points Allowed: 132
King Heights displayed one of the most explosive offenses of the weekend, highlighted by elite guard play and disruptive defense. Their scoring output ranked highest among all programs.
Tall Pines National (Canada)
- Record: 3–0
- Points Scored: 212
- Points Allowed: 174
Tall Pines battled their way to an undefeated showing behind steady shot-making and one of the weekend’s top individual scoring performances.
Standout Individual Performances
The first Contenders weekend showcased star-power across multiple programs. Several players made national-level statements with big-time scoring efforts:
Top Performances
- David Bottomley (Tall Pines National) – 33 points vs. Code Academy
A polished scoring display highlighted Bottomley's ability to take over a game from multiple levels. - Caleb Roberts (Ridley College Prep) – 31 points vs. Albuquerque Prep
Roberts was unstoppable in transition and from the mid-range, pacing Ridley’s offense in one of the event’s marquee matchups. - Yousaf Ahmad (King Heights Academy) – 29 points vs. V3 Prep Academy
Ahmad’s shot creation and perimeter efficiency helped push King Heights to a perfect record.
Additional Notable Contributions
- Shaundre Dennie (V3 Prep Academy) – 26 points
- Quinten Ethier (Ridley College) – 24 points, including seven three-pointers
- DJ Smith (Albuquerque Prep) – 17 points
These performances added depth to an event filled with emerging prospects and new names making noise on the Grind Session stage.
A New Platform Under the Grind Session
The Contenders Conference represents a strategic expansion of the Grind Session model—giving rising programs and younger prospects a structured league with national-level visibility. Built on the Grind Session’s trademark standards of competition, professionalism, and global exposure, the Contenders circuit is expected to grow rapidly through the 2025–26 season.
The Ridley College session not only set the tone but immediately demonstrated the purpose behind this new conference:
to elevate programs, spotlight athletes, and develop new pipelines of opportunity within prep basketball.
Next Stop: Mesa, Arizona
The Contenders Conference resumes later this month with its next session:
AAG – Mesa, Arizona
November 21–23, 2025
Teams will return to action in the desert for another intense three-day slate, continuing the momentum from a spectacular opening weekend in Canada.
A Strong Beginning for a Promising Conference
From undefeated teams to breakout individual efforts, the first Contenders Conference session delivered everything expected from a Grind Session event—and more. With competitive balance, high-level coaching, and fresh talent emerging across the board, the Contenders Conference is poised to become a vital part of the prep basketball landscape.
The Grind Session’s newest conference is off to a powerful start—and the rest of the season promises even more excitement as programs aim to separate themselves on the national stage.
