Owensboro, KY — The Owensboro Sportscenter once again served as a showcase floor for rising stars, nationally ranked programs, ESPN-listed prospects, and high-stakes matchups that lived up to their billing. Across four days of women’s and men’s competition, the building saw dramatic comebacks, statement wins, highlight moments, and new names emerging into the Grind Session spotlight.
From opening tip on December 4th to Sunday afternoon’s closing buzzer, Owensboro delivered everything the circuit represents — toughness, skill, emotion, and competitive fire.
Day 1 — Women Set the Tone, Prolific & Ft. Erie Deliver in Prime Slot
Opening day featured a combination of thrilling finishes, breakout scoring nights, and top-25 talent asserting itself.
Example Varsity launched the event with discipline and poise, while Example Academy (Main Team) dominated late behind Malika Jenkins and Marlee-Michelle Coleman — each with 19 points.
Malika Jenkins protects the ball on the drive
The women’s game of the day belonged to Ft Erie vs. Hamilton Heights, a back-and-forth battle sealed by Portia Reisen’s clutch three and Lexee Anderson’s double-double. Their toughness in the final minute lifted Ft Erie to the win.
On the men’s side, Gillion Academy’s frontcourt power, led by Marcis Ponder’s 17-rebound double-double, proved too much for Hamilton Heights.
Central Florida stamped its identity early with a wire-to-wire win, highlighted by Martay Barnes’ 19 points, and the night ended with the marquee matchup everyone circled beforehand:
#4 Prolific Prep 75, #7 SEPA 64
Prolific rallied from a double-digit deficit as Caleb Holt dominated with 26 points and 16 boards — once again proving why he is ESPN’s No. 2 prospect in America.
Davion Adkins with the two hand slam
Day 2 — Friday Brings Eight Games, Local Energy, & Photo-Finish Conclusions
Friday was a festival of hoops inside the Sportscenter, featuring eight games, two women’s thrillers, and high-octane men’s battles.
Ft. Erie women started the day with authority, powered by a standout 20-point, 10-rebound outing from Lisa Sirgi while ABC Prep freshman Tink Gary dazzled again with 23 points.
Example Academy followed with a heart-stopping 78–76 win over Hamilton Heights, behind an incredible 29-point, 14-rebound performance from Marlee-Michelle Coleman — one of the best individual outputs of the weekend.
On the men’s side, Central Florida rolled behind 23 points from Barnes, SEPA topped Gillion Academy in a ranked showdown, and Ft. Erie escaped Winston-Salem Christian by just one point, in a foul-heavy battle.
Martay Barnes sets up for a three
The night ended with Prolific Prep’s emphatic victory and a bizarre dunk-through-the-net moment that halted play for 15 minutes.
Once play resumed, the champs exploded going on a 19-2 run, led by Bruce Branch III’s 21 points, to secure another statement win.
Day 3 — Saturday Night Delivers Two Heavyweight Men’s Battles
Saturday evening featured just two matchups, but both produced major storylines.
Game One — DME Academy 88, iSchool 70
DME came out blazing, dropping 31 in the opening quarter to seize full control. Ryan Hampton was spectacular — 28 points, 9 rebounds — just one board shy of a double-double.
Supporting firepower came from Nathan Kirk and Troy Fason Jr. (17 each) and Yohane Kabongo (12 points, 9 rebounds).
Yohane Kabongo with the fast break dunk for DME
Keonte Greybear led iSchool with 16, but DME’s balance and tempo dictated the result.
Game Two — Ft. Erie 84, Huntington Expression 82
Arguably the best game of the weekend. Ft. Erie built a halftime cushion, but Huntington responded with a massive third quarter and surged to a nine-point lead behind Rahiti Tinirauarii (19 points) and Aviv Aronov (16 points).
But championships are won in winning time, and Ft. Erie delivered.
Eli Jolin hits a three from the corner baseline
Eli Jolin erupted for 23 points, and Promis N'landu added 15, as the Canadians erased the deficit and made the key plays in the final minute to escape with the dramatic victory.
Day 4 — Sunday Finishes with Huntington’s Statement & Balanced Team Play
Huntington Expression Prep vs DME Academy wrapped up the weekend, with Huntington Expression securing one of its best wins of the season — defeating DME Academy 81–70.
Koang Bol Kuany with the one handed throw down
Koang Bol Kuany posted a double-double — 20 points, 10 boards —
Aviv Aronov recorded 15 and 12,
Taj Saragba added 13, and
Dazon Reid contributed 12 points.
DME spread its scoring, led by Yohane Kabongo’s 14, while Heimir Helgason (13), Nathan Kirk (11), Troy Fason Jr. (12) and Ryan Hampton (11) showed the depth that makes the Florida program dangerous.
Weekend Takeaways
Best Women’s Performances
- Marlee-Michelle Coleman, Example Academy — 29p/14r game of the event
- Portia Reisen, Ft. Erie International — game-winning three
- Lexee Anderson, Ft. Erie International — 15/10 double-double closer
- Lisa Sirgi, Ft. Erie International — 20/10 on Friday
Best Men’s Performances
- Caleb Holt, Prolific Prep — dominating 26/16 showcase
- Marcis Ponder, Gillion Academy — glass-eating weekend presence
- Ryan Hampton, DME Academy — 28/9 Saturday statement
- Eli Jolin, Ft. Erie International — 23-point game-winner in Saturday’s thriller
Program of the Weekend (Men’s Tier)
Prolific Prep — undefeated, dominant responses to adversity
Ft. Erie International — toughness, composure, and late-game execution
Women’s Team of the Weekend
Ft. Erie International — consistency, late-game winning plays, star production
Final Word
Owensboro delivered everything that defines the Grind Session — elite talent, style clashes, momentum swings, and young stars rising under pressure.
The Sportscenter crowd got four days of big-time basketball, and for dozens of athletes, these performances will become stepping stones toward bigger stages — college gyms, ESPN broadcasts, and future pro opportunities.
Next stop Christian County, Kentucky — the Grind Session road continues, and the stakes only get higher.
