Prized recruits coming to Kentucky for pair of high-profile HS events

Looking to see the next generation of potential Kentucky basketball stars in person? You won’t even have to leave the state to make it happen in December.

Two high-profile high school events are coming to the area in the coming weeks, starting with the 2023 Derek Smith Invitational. Held from Dec. 2-3 in Louisville, the MADE Hoops event will bring three of the nation’s top 25 teams in the country in Prolific Prep (CA), Link Academy (MO), and Bishop O’Connell (VA). Of the participants, 16 players are currently ranked inside the top 100 of their respective classes.

Among the headliners? Kentucky signee Jayden Quaintance — a consensus top-five recruit — along with the No. 1 overall recruits in ’25 and ’26, AJ Dybantsa and Tyran Stokes, respectively. The Prolific Prep standouts scored scholarship offers from John Calipari and the Wildcats this past week.

Five-star guard Jasper Johnson, son of former Kentucky football legend Dennis Johnson and major UK target, will also be in attendance with Link Academy. He is joined by former Kentucky target and current Texas pledge Tre Johnson, the nation’s No. 4 overall prospect.

Prolific Prep and Link Academy will face off in a primetime matchup at 8:45 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 2.

Five teams within the state will also participate, headlined by host St. Xavier alongside Bardstown, Seneca, Frederick Douglass and Desales.

2023 Derek Smith Invitational

Location: Louisville, Kentucky (Saint Xavier High School)
Ticket information: $25, available online here. Limited quantities will be available at the door, but fans are encouraged to purchase ahead of time to secure a spot.

Event Schedule:

Saturday, Dec. 2

• 1:45 PM – St. Frances (MD) vs Bilingual Christian Academy (FL)
• 3:30 PM – St. Xavier (KY) vs Bardstown (KY)
• 5:15 PM – Seneca (KY) vs Shabach Christian (MD)
• 7:00 PM – Bishop O’Connell (VA) vs Southern Coast Academy (FL)
• 8:45 PM – Prolific Prep (CA) vs Link Academy (MO)

Sunday, Dec. 3

• 12:00 PM – St. Xavier (KY) vs Prolific (CA)
• 1:45 PM – Frederick Douglass (KY) vs St. Frances (MD)
• 3:30 PM – Word of God (NC) vs. Southern Coast Academy (FL)
• 5:15 PM – Bilingual Christian Academy (FL) vs. Seneca (KY)
• 7:00 PM – Desales (KY) vs Shabach Christian (MD)

Top Players

• AJ Dybantsa (Prolific Prep || No. 1 in 2025 || Kentucky target)
• Tyran Stokes (Prolific Prep || No. 1 in 2026 || Kentucky target)
• Jayden Quaintance (Word of God || No. 4 in 2024 || Kentucky signee)
• Jasper Johnson (Link Academy || No. 30 in 2025 || Kentucky target)
• Tre Johnson (Link Academy || No. 6 in 2024 || Texas commit)
• Bryson Tucker (Bishop O’Connell || No. 12 in 2024)
• Derrion Reid (Prolific Prep || No. 13 in 2024)
• Aiden Sherrell (Prolific Prep || No. 14 in 2024 || Alabama commit)
• Zoom Diallo (Prolific Prep || No. 36 in 2024)
• Labaron Philon (Link Academy || No. 39 in 2024 || Kansas commit)
• Jalen Shelley (Link Academy || No. 63 in 2024 || Arkansas commit)
• James Brown (Link Academy || No. 77 in 2024 || North Carolina commit)

More information on the 2023 Derek Smith Invitational can be found here.

2023 Griffin Elite Classic

The state’s top teams will then take on standout prep schools and border state teams in the 2023 Griffin Elite Classic just two weeks later. Among the biggest names set to participate? Five-star guards Darryn Peterson and Darius Acuff, two of Kentucky’s top recruiting targets in the junior class.

Both players will play in back-to-back matchups on Friday, Dec. 15, with Acuff’s IMG Academy tipping things off at 7 p.m. ET, followed by Peterson’s Huntington Prep squad closing out the evening at 9 p.m. ET. The latter will face off against two of the state’s top rising ’26 talents in guard Taylen Kinney — a Big Blue Madness visitor — and forward James Turner.

Prep powerhouse La Lumiere will also join the action to close out the event on Sunday, a jam-packed three-day slate in Northern Kentucky.

Location: Erlanger, Kentucky (Griffin Elite Sports & Wellness)
Ticket information: $10 per game, available online here. Limited quantities will be available at the door for $15 each.

Event Schedule:

Friday, Dec. 15

• IMG Academy vs. Elder High School – 7 p.m. ET
• Newport High School vs. Huntington Prep – 9 p.m. ET

Saturday, Dec. 16

• Harlan County vs. Desales High School – 5 p.m. ET
• IMG Academy vs. Lloyd Memorial – 7:30 p.m. ET

Sunday, Dec. 17

• Kings High School vs. Desales High School – 12 p.m. ET
• Cooper High School vs. Legacy Charter – 2:30 p.m. ET
• Centerville High School vs. Moravian Prep – 5 p.m. ET
• Covington Catholic High School vs. La Lumiere – 7:30 p.m. ET

Top Players

• Darryn Peterson (Huntington Prep || No. 3 in 2025 || Kentucky target)
• Darius Acuff (IMG Academy || No. 18 in 2025 || Kentucky target)
• Khani Rooths (IMG Academy || No. 19 in 2024 || Michigan commit)
• Donnie Freeman (IMG Academy || No. 20 in 2024 || Syracuse commit)
• Chase McCarty (IMG Academy || No. 90 in 2024 || Houston commit)
• Daniil Glazkov (IMG Academy || No. 124 in 2024)
• Olivier Rioux (IMG Academy || No. 147 in 2024 || Florida commit)
• Jalen Haralson (La Lumiere School || No. 7 in 2025)
• Darius Adams (La Lumiere School || No. 33 in 2025)
• Jerry Easter (La Lumiere School || No. 42 in 2025)
• Amari Allen (IMG Academy || No. 75 in 2025)
• Eli Ellis (Moravian Prep || No. 99 in 2025 || South Carolina commit)
• Taylen Kinney (Newport High School || NR in 2026 || Kentucky target)
• James Turner (Newport High School || NR in 2026)

Doesn’t get much better than that. We’ll see you there, Kentucky fans.