Grind Region Finals Championship Game Highlights

The hype was real on the last day of the Grind Region Finals. Six teams squared off for the 15U, 16U, and 17U championships, while the other courts at Drive Nation were filled with consolation games. Each game had at least a little bit of drama and these players showed why they were the final teams standing. Let's get into some of the best performances from the round of games.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">15u - B&B Academy 2026 Black (53) vs Flash! Elite 2026 (66)</h3>   Noah Meurer G B&B Academy   A quick decision-maker with the ball, Meurer was a key guy in getting the ball moving around to avoid the pressure and constant traps from Flash! Elite. He was one guy that found success using the defense's pressure against them, changing direction on incoming defenders, using ball fakes to set up driving lanes, and attacking space rather than defenders to open up shots for himself and others.   Caden Braketa G B&B Academy   Braketa stepped up to knock down some big shots from long-range on a day when the normally potent 3-point shooting team didn't quite have it. He's a calm scorer, even amongst the trapping and defenders flying around. He was able to spot up, get his feet set quick, and nail some important shots to keep the game within striking distance.   [player_tooltip player_id='1549449' first='Ian' last='Berry'] G Flash! Elite   A really crafty player with the ball, Berry was able to get to his spots early on and set the tone offensively for his team. He was comfortable pulling from three when given room, had good control on his drives to pull up short and drop in the mid-range or float, and was tough at the rim, showing he can do it from all three levels.   [player_tooltip player_id='2286312' first='Braidon' last='Kellum'] W Flash! Elite   This guy looked physically on another level at times. He stands about 6-foot-3 but has those broad shoulders and long arms that made him feel a little taller than he looked. His physicality helped him slash to the rim with relative ease, and while he did show some superb burst and bounce getting to the hoop, he was also able to cycle in some finesse to avoid defenders and make some extremely athletic finishes in the paint.   Kensington Chandler G Flash! Elite   Such a calm, composed player, he saw the floor extremely well and always took the available play. He has the skill to sink shots from the arc, drop in a floater in front of defenders inside, and make the key passes to guys from all over the half-court. He just has phenomenal awareness and was making plays in all areas of the game.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">16u - BDH Elite 2025 (74) vs Amarillo Nets 2025 (71)</h3>   [player_tooltip player_id='1850312' first='Layne' last='Weir'] F BDH Elite   This might have been a breakout tournament for Weir. He's shown flashes of this type of impact before but his play on Sunday showed why he is a sleeping giant in Washington. The ability for a guy his size to hit those touch, fallaway shots from the mid-range, stop up on the drive for a soft pull-up or put the ball on the floor and go behind the back to finish with his weak hand at the rim, are all reasons he's a kid you need to know. He also came up with a few huge blocks, threw his body around on both ends and was instrumental in bringing home the trophy for the 16u.   [player_tooltip player_id='1850309' first='Sebastian' last='Arius'] G BDH Elite   This is another kid who made a lot of growth this season, culminating in a couple of standout performances on Sunday. He takes time on the ball to analyze the defense, works well within the offensive system and only needs a few dribbles to shake his defender off. He did a great job scoring from all levels with spot-up threes from way back, smooth finishes around defenders at the rim, and did it all without turning the ball over or wasting possessions.   [player_tooltip player_id='1984463' first='Carter' last='Hansen'] G BDH Elite   Hansen didn't have his shot going early, but he brings so much more to the table than shooting. He's a stopper on defense and makes guys work the full length of the court. Even at 5-foot-8, he brings an added boost to the boards because his approach on the court won't let him stop competing. He eventually found his shot later on in the game and made some big plays down the stretch to help his team seal the victory.   [player_tooltip player_id='1450984' first='Javon' last='Barbee'] G BDH Elite   This guy was all strength and hustle on Sunday, making a few key takes to the hoop and either drawing fouls or converting through contact. He also grabbed a bunch of big-time rebounds and tip-outs that were pivotal in winning possessions in the close championship game. Barbee looked to attack plays at the rim on both sides and also got a couple of blocks that set the tone inside.   [player_tooltip player_id='1485586' first='Kenyon' last='Simmons'] G BDH Elite   Simmons did his work getting downhill on offense, and distributing the ball from the top and in transition. He's a strong player who only needs that first step to get by guys and start running toward the rim. It took the whole team to bring home the title and Simmons played a big part utilizing his skills from inside and out.   Jacory Fields G Amarillo Nets   A shifty guard with a strong upper body, Fields was able to get by the initial defender quite a lot, or create enough distance between them for the pull-up jumper. He displayed a nasty crossover to get him going to the rim where he was extra springy and handled contact well.   [player_tooltip player_id='2089999' first='Jaxon' last='Toniolli'] G Amarillo Nets   Toniolli was another pretty shifty guard for the Nets. He was more of a perimeter factor, doing a lot of his damage off of the dribble with nice step-backs and pull-ups. He was pretty much on from mid-range and behind the arc, helping to stretch out the defense and still give the impression that he might put it down and get to the hoop too.   Tayesen Combs G Amarillo Nets   Combs came up with a handful of big shots for his team, both from downtown and at the rim. The slippery guard put a lot of pressure on defenders with his ability to slash inside and split defenders, as well as his skill in hanging at the rim and maneuvering the ball around outstretched hands.   <h3 class="wp-block-heading">17u - LA Broncos 2024 (79) vs B&B Academy 2024 Black (67)</h3>   Carson Keach G B&B Academy   He was the guy lighting the way for B&B against a tough LA Broncos team. Smart plays like waiting for the opposing big to bring the rebound down, then swiping it loose, rather than competing for the ball at the high point, highlighted his wit on the floor. His timing was impeccable on both ends, hitting closeouts hard and even getting a tip on a couple of shots, attacking gaps well on drives, and seeing guys flashing open in the middle. He's a pretty well-rounded offensive player that sparked their attack all game long.   Kheiri Haynes G LA Broncos   A tough kid who brings energy to both ends of the floor. He was all over ballhandlers this game and made them keep working on the other end of the floor as they tried to keep up with his pace on offense. He wasn't their main scorer but he could go get a bucket when needed and was highly efficient from the floor.   Trey'dez Green F LA Broncos   The big guy can shoot it from outside, though it wasn't falling with great efficiency in the championship game. So, he went inside and used that big frame and leaping ability to finish high above the rim and make himself available for dump-offs and lobs as often as possible. He's not just a power guy though, showing he can shift around defenders mid-air to avoid contests and still get the ball back up and over the rim.   Broderick Brooks G LA Broncos   Was really impressed with his all-around scoring this game. He showed he can shoot the lights out the other day, and while he continued to calmly drain the long-range shots on Sunday, he also showed some athleticism inside and was able to convert with strength when meeting guys at the rim.

The hype was real on the last day of the Grind Region Finals. Six teams squared off for the 15U, 16U, and 17U championships, while the other courts at Drive Nation were filled with consolation games. Each game had at least a little bit of drama and these players showed why they were the final teams standing. Let's get into some of the best performances from the round of games.