Grit Region Finals: Unranked 2028 X Factors You Should Know

The Grit Region Finals were compact with special teams and talented athletes. From bigs to wings and point guards, the pool of talent was on full display during the Memorial Day weekend. As the last stop of the Spring Season, I was in Northbrook, IL covering the 2028 division which would mostly consist of incoming sophomores for the 25'-26' basketball season ahead. Let's take a look at a handful of players who really made an impact on their teams and will have a lasting mark in their careers over the years ahead.    Not sure I saw a player who liked to run the floor as much as [player_tooltip player_id='2865170' first='Ayden' last=''] this weekend. Really liked to get up and down on both ends with tons of heart and effort. A high leaper. Has good bounce on his rebounding, blocks, and finishes at the rim. Can go coast to coast and finished with a couple And1's. Got to the hole consistently. On Friday night made a cool drive to the rim stopping at 6 feet for a pump fake turnaround jumper on two defenders. In the same game finished a breakaway with a dunk off 2 feet. Loves to play with a lot of energy and hustle. Fun player to watch.     Would put him on my defensive list but impacts the game in more ways than just defense. Possesses quick anticipation when guarding on the ball or off it. Takes pride and finds a joy playing that role of taking on a challenge. Watched team's first game on Saturday and tallied him for at least 7 solo turnovers alone. Can get downhill in a hurry on the dribble. Likes to share it on the break finding openings in gaps. Brings along pretty good bounce as well. Led his team to a quarter final finish against eventual champs of tourney.     Brings a multi-faceted skill set to the table. Has the length of a forward position for age but plays the point because of ability to handle. Strolled team to a 3-1 weekend. Scored it in a plethora of ways. Spot up jump shot was efficient from mid-range and beyond arc. Got to the lane for kickouts or endured contact to go to the line. Plenty of push a heads off outlets or boards to get into the break phase and 1/2 court flow. Couple O board put backs with one being for an And1. Contains an enthusiastic and competitive edge.     Watched team's last game of the weekend early Sunday morning. Plays mostly in the 1 or 2 slot which deems efficient. Moves well without the ball. Made a catch and shoot 3 from a swing pass around the arc and a slashing cut straight off a pin down screen for another 3. Hands and feet looked ready on both and shot looks confident. Had a good backdoor cut with a reversal finish over some size. Plays with solid tenacity on both ends.     Tough competitor that plays with a lot of effort and energy. Fills the 1- or 2-man roles. Helped squad to a 4-1 overall finish on the weekend only losing the very first game then rolling off 4 consecutive. Deems to be a team leader by example. Finished with a game high 13 points in the earlier afternoon game on Sunday. Had a couple hard dribble drives to the rim and converted. Ran the floor and filled space with good IQ. Knocked down 3 triples as well. Impacts the game in multiple phases.

The Grit Region Finals were compact with special teams and talented athletes. From bigs to wings and point guards, the pool of talent was on full display during the Memorial Day weekend. As the last stop of the Spring Season, I was in Northbrook, IL covering the 2028 division which would mostly consist of incoming sophomores for the 25'-26' basketball season ahead. Let's take a look at a handful of players who really made an impact on their teams and will have a lasting mark in their careers over the years ahead.