Day One Notebook from The Grassroots Showcase by Justin Byerly
Louisville, KY - We are back at our regular stop here at The Kentucky Expo Center near downtown Louisville, Kentucky. Twenty-five courts with some of the best independent programs and a mixture of shoe sponsored teams from around the United States. It was a nice 6-hour drive up here from home base but we made it and we saw some action tonight with more to come tomorrow and Sunday.
Cutter Sisk is a Problem
Chip Smith and his Tennessee Tiger program consistently bring in guys that can play at the next level. 6-foot-8 big man Cutter Sisk is the dude on this edition of the squad. Sisk is not afraid to take some beatings in the paint, he actually seems to want it and thrives on it. He is a tough dude with some size and some skill. He is a threat to knock down the shot from the outside and he always finds a body when a shot goes up. I like his footwork and his touch around the rim. He finished with 23 points and double-digit rebounds against a very athletic Chicago Grinders program.
Currently he holds a couple of Division II offers with some Division I interest floating in. If the portal didn't exist, I think Sisk would be a bonafide Division I big man. Since it does exist, I see him still being a guy that can play at that level. He will continue to garner more interest as this travel season moves forward and he has what you can't teach. A lot of size and skill.
The other prospect that really caught my eye for the Tiger's was Grayson Scragg. The 6-foot-1 sharpshooters out of Donaldson Christian Academy in Nashville finished with 17 points, including four from beyond the three-point line. He is a skilled guard with good instincts and man, he will let it fly from just about anywhere. I like guys that know they can make shots and do.
Talkin' Tennessee
The Shockers 2026 Gold program looked really good tonight in their win on opening night here at The Grassroots Showcase. I heard the referee come over to the coach and say, "You don't even have to coach this group." That is always something a coach wants to hear.
They are a balanced squad and they make plays on the defensive side of the ball. It doesn't hurt that they made fourteen three-pointers in their blowout win. Leading the way was Michael Fisch who knocked down five three-pointers and ended the game with 17 points. This is a fun group to watch with their size and their shooting ability.
Always a Guy From Indiana
Hudson Withers caught my eye during the second game on the slate tonight at The Grassroots Showcase. The 6-foot guard for Team Southern Indiana made one three-pointer and then a few possessions later another. He did this five times in the roughly 3/4 of the game I watched. I liked his tenacity and his fire that he had in him playing the game. Late in the first half and the second half, the game got a little chippy from both squads and Withers used it as motivation. He has a good handle with the ball, rebounds and plays strong defensively. I think the way basketball is played in different regions is fun to see and the guys from Indiana play together. They pass the ball, they talk and they make shots.
