LOUISVILLE, KY - I’m back on my home turf for the Grassroots Showcase. The mega event inside the Kentucky Fair and Expo Center—mere steps away from one of basketball’s iconic venues, Freedom Hall—is the biggest April live period event for independent programs. 

With nearly 1,000 teams gathered under one roof, this is a one-stop shop for college coaches, and it’s a platform for players to shine under the starry lights of the gym. 

Here are some of the notes from the opening day of the weekend. 

 

Ahrens makes a statement

We’ve known that Monarchs forward Spencer Ahrens is a hooper. We’ve known that he has tremendous potential. On Friday of the Grassroots Showcase, he proved it yet again with an emphatic 17 points. 

The 6-foot-9 forward is playing up in the 17U division—he’s in the 2025 class—and he showed off his vast skill set against Team Trezz. What stood out the most is how patient and poised Ahrens is in the post. He has a deep bag of tricks that he’ll pull out to get an open look. 

His skill game was working well too. He has legitimate perimeter skill with a jumper that extends to the 3-point line and enough of a handle to play point forward. 

 

Florida Pro impresses again

Florida Pro is off to a great start in Louisville. Their depth and balance shined yet again. 

Enrico Borio was a standout at last week’s Atlanta Jam, and he followed that up with a stellar opener on Friday. Athletic and skilled, Borio is a matchup problem on offense. He showed off plenty of his well-rounded attack on that end. 

Grant Randall caught my eye this winter while playing with Mount Pisgah in Georgia. He’s an athletic forward who dunks everything and is a disruptive defender. 

Another strong defensive presence came from Cortez Abel who uses his length on the perimeter well. 

Guard Adrian Shackelton packed a solid scoring punch. He showed off his ability to score it from multiple levels. 

 

Norcross brings the Heat

Norcross Heat’s 2025 group is tough. They haven’t lost many games this season, and at the core of their success, Jamari Mosely and Alex Young have been as consistent as it gets. 

Seeing that pair go off in a game isn’t the exception, it’s the rule. To open their Grassroots Showcase weekend, they led a win with 18 each. 

Young had his  3-pointer working for him—he knocked down three from distance—but he also showed his inside game too. Young is patient when he gets around the basket. He’s a guard with some post moves and a savvy approach to scoring against bigger players. While Young’s offense was working well for him, he was a plus defensively as well. He has a nose for the ball and is attentive on that end. 

Mosely is a bucket-getter as well. He was at his best when pursuing the rim today. He’s a hard-nosed guard that can handle physicality. 

 

SWFL closes with a bang

On the way out of the gym, I saw a team that looked the part, so I stopped to watch, and I was rewarded with a SWFL Hoops Red show. 

Forwards Chris Cornish and Patrick Johnson wowed. 

Cornish was the headliner of the show with a loud 23 points. The man is a walking highlight. He’s an uber-athletic wing that will put someone in the rim. He has his sights set on the rim, and it’s tough to keep him from getting there. 

Johnson didn’t put up the eye-popping stats, but watching him is impressive. He has a next-level frame and build at a strong 6-foot-8. He’s not a hulking, lumbering guy though. He’s mobile and athletic. Johnson can play out on the wing for sure. I haven’t gotten to the kicker yet either. Johnson is a class of 2025 guy that’s playing up in the 17U division. 

 

Matt Puodziukaitis establishes his name in my notes

I don’t recall having seen Wellington Wolves forward Matt Puodziukaitis before, but he announces his presence quickly. I wasn’t able to stay for their entire game, but I saw plenty of the 6-foot-8 forward. 

First of all, he competes. He plays hard. That’s a skill these days. Puodziukaitis got so much of his 20 and 10 based on effort alone. He has a more vast game than just being a motor man. He can thrive in physical battles, and he can play with finesse too. 

While I was only able to see about a half of his game, the HoopSeen team will be checking back in on Puodziukaitis and the Wolves throughout the weekend. 

 

An All Alabama duo sparks a weekend-opening win

While everyone was still looking to settle in and familiarize themselves with their surroundings during the first time slot, All Alabama and Champions Chance opened with a back-and-forth game. 

Briquon Lambert and Malachai Robinson—a 2025 playing up—for All Alabama helped them overcome the chaos of the opening slot. The pair of wings turned an early deficit around quickly. They bolstered the scoring load and did a little bit of everything elsewhere too. 

While they battled travel fatigue, their production and importance remained consistent throughout. 

 

Green and Ryan are Gamechangers

Tamiel Green and Philip Ryan helped the Atlanta Gamechangers to a win to start their weekend. Green anchored the post and posed a difficult problem around the basket while Ryan packed more of a perimeter punch and made plays from the wing.