They’re back. The Griffin Elite Basketball Classic midseason boys’ games will once again offer a mix of top national and local teams in three days of competition this weekend. But the venue has changed. Last year’s games were played at the Griffin Elite facility in Erlanger. This year, they’ve moved on to accommodate larger crowds at Thomas More’s Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills.
The weekend opens with a pair of Friday games: Cleveland, Ohio’s Spire Academy plays Wesley Christian (Allen, Ky.) at 7 p.m. followed by Huntington (W. Va.) Prep against Simon Kenton at 9 p.m.
Saturday offers a doubleheader featuring Georgetown’s Great Christian with 7-foot UK signee Malachi Moreno against Indiana power Indianapolis Cathedral at 7:30 p.m. The second game at 9 has Cincinnati St. Xavier against Spire Academy at 9 p.m.
On Sunday, Griffin Elite concludes with a tripleheader opening with Lloyd Memorial and EJ Walker against Cincinnati’s Summit Country Day at 1 p.m. In a 2:30 all-local matchup, it’s Newport High against Walton-Verona and in the 4 p.m. nightcap, national power Moravian Prep out of North Carolina goes against Huntington Prep.
TOP PLAYERS HERE
• Huntington Prep features Kam Mercer, the nation’s No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2028.
• Eli and Isaac Ellis, brothers who have signed with South Carolina, lead Moravian Prep. Eli leads the Overtime Elite League with a 33-points-a-game scoring average.
• Six-foot-7 wing Kyle Waltz, a Miami of Ohio commit, leads Cleveland’s Spire Academy. He’s joined by 6-10 Collin Ross.
• Victor Okojie, a 6-8 international player, leads a 14-2 Wesley Christian team that features seven international players.
• Moreno, a Top 25 player in the nation and the leading rebounder in Kentucky, is headed to UK in next year’s recruiting class from the Scott County program.
• Notre Dame’s 6-8 signee Brady Koehler powers the Indianapolis Cathedral team.
• Lloyd’s EJ Walker, coming off his 30-point game against Covington Catholic, gives South Carolina three future players in the Griffin Elite with the Ellis brothers.
• Newport’s 6-7 junior James Turner and 6-8 sophomore Griffin Starks give the Wildcats a pair of future Division I players.
• Cincinnati St. X’s 6-11 Jacob Wassler has signed with Bellarmine.
HELPING LEVI HERE
A portion of the proceeds of this weekend’s Classic will help support Levi Stamper, an inspirational competitor of his own, who has been battling Feingold Syndrome that has had him spending more than 500 days in the hospital with some 50 surgeries.
“Your participation will not only make a difference in their (the Stamper family’s) lives but also celebrates Levi’s resilience and joy,” the Griffin Elite announcement says. “Together, we can bring hope and support to this amazing little boy.”
