From the moment doors opened at 8:30 AM to the final buzzer around 9:30 PM, every court in the building was alive. Energy was everywhere — from the benches, to the coaches, to the fans in the stands. You could feel early on that this wasn’t just another tournament. There was real talent in the gym, and everybody knew it.

The morning games set the tone right away, featuring girls matchups in the 8th, 9th, and 11th grade divisions, along with boys games at the 5th and 7th grade levels. Even that early in the day, the intensity was there.

One of the standout games of the morning came from the 9th grade girls division, where Southeast Sun faced off against WV Wild. Both teams came ready to compete. The ball was moving, shots were falling, and for a 9th grade matchup, the level of play was impressive. Bentley Burns led Southeast Sun with 19 points and 8 rebounds, while Maggie Flack added 16 points and 3 assists. On the other side, Alyssa Grandbouche put on a scoring display with 25 points and 4 assists for WV Wild. In a tight one, Southeast Sun pulled it out, 50–46.

The next game that stood out was in the 11th grade girls division, featuring Cincinnati Diamonds and Chasing the Dream. This one was a battle from start to finish. It stayed close the entire way, with both teams locking in defensively and trading possessions down the stretch. Cincinnati Diamonds were led by Riley Benson, who finished with 11 points, 3 steals, and 3 assists. Braniyah Jackson contributed across the board for Chasing the Dream with 6 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals. In the end, Cincinnati Diamonds came away with a 38–32 win.

As the day moved into the afternoon, the boys high school games picked up the intensity even more. One of the best matchups came between Myles Busemeyer of Ohio Crossover and Charles Lewis of Griffin Grass Hoppers A1CL. Ohio Crossover held a slight edge going into halftime, leading 41–39, with Busemeyer contributing 10 points and 3 rebounds, while Lewis had 8 of his own.

But the second half told a different story.

Lewis took over down the stretch, scoring 12 of his 20 total points in the second half and leading Griffin Grass Hoppers to a hard-fought win. Busemeyer finished with 15 points and 4 assists in a strong performance of his own, but it was Lewis who made the late-game impact.

A few teams made it clear early on that they came to compete and set themselves apart on Day 1. Indiana Jazz Unsigned went 2–0, including a dominant opening game before battling through a tougher matchup with Team Gifted. Kentucky Visions A1CL also started 2–0 heading into tournament play, along with Griffin Grass Hoppers A1CL, who continued their strong run before eventually forfeiting their championship spot due to travel. On the girls side, WV Wild put together an impressive 2–0 start with wins over Lady Hoyas and Chasing the Dream.

Individual performances stood out all day across every level, with players stepping up and making their presence felt:

Players of the Day

5th Grade: Rylan Souder (Ohio Primetime)
7th Grade: Brayden Parker (Make It Rain Hoops)
8th Grade: Monti Basset (CreamCity Pistons)
9th Grade: Melvin Burroughs (AGNS UA Grind)
10th Grade: George Belleu (AGNS)
11th Grade+: Jaedyn Litzlbauer (Indiana Supreme Actright)
Girls 8th Grade: Alexis Keiffer (WV Wild)
Girls 9th Grade: Mya Hall (Lady Hoyas)
Girls 11th Grade: Keviya “YaYa” Parrish (Chasing the Dream)

Overall, Day 1 of the Cam Jackson Showcase delivered exactly what you hope for in a tournament setting. With over 70 teams in the building and talent ranging from 5th grade all the way up to 17U, there was no shortage of competition. Every hour, on every court, there was something worth watching.

And this was just the beginning.