January 2026
Grassroots 365 opened its 2026 Texas event series with the MLK Elite Showdown at the University of Texas at Arlington, bringing together more than 40 teams from Texas and Oklahoma. The early-season event served as a key measuring stick for programs preparing for the upcoming National Showdown in Dallas over Presidents Day Weekend, setting the stage for competitive matchups, emerging standouts, and teams beginning to establish their identity ahead of the national stage.
14U Highlights
14U Gold Division: #24 99OVR 2K30 Jr 3SSB finished the weekend 4–0, capping it with a 63–51 championship win over Militant Elite Jr 3SSB.
Stock Risers
MVP: Malachi Quinn (99OVR 2K30 Jr 3SSB)
Downhill attacker with a nonstop motor. Puts constant pressure on the rim and thrives in transition. Plays fast, aggressive, and fearless, forcing defenders to react early. Attacks gaps with intent, finishes through contact, and brings energy that shifts momentum. His pace and effort create advantages for himself and his teammates every time he’s on the floor. Scope Rating: 89.5
2030 Amare Currie | Wing | Militant Elite Jr. 3SSB (TX)
Lengthy, high-motor wing who thrives in his role and impacts winning. On-ball defense stands out – solid footwork, balance, and discipline allow him to consistently contain and disrupt. Brings great energy every possession and embraces the dirty work. Scope Rating: 77.1
2030 Beck Beaudry | 6’4” Forward | NTX Raptors (TX)
Runs the floor well with good motor and activity. Defends with effort, consistently challenges shots, and plays physically around the rim. Effective finisher in the paint, particularly in pick-and-roll situations. The offensive skill set is still developing, but size, energy, and defensive presence give him clear long-term upside. Scope Rating: 70
2030 Joshua Smith | Guard | Militant Elite Jr 3SSB
Joshua is a physical shooting guard who plays with purpose and edge. Attacks matchups with confidence, competes on both ends, and brings a strong presence every possession. Comfortable scoring off the catch or putting the ball on the floor when defenders close out hard. Plays with discipline, toughness, and a motor that fits high level competition. Scope Rating: 82
2030 Lincoln Buchanan | Guard | Southern Assault
Lincoln is a confident perimeter scorer who understands spacing and timing. Plays with balance, stays shot ready, and knocks down open looks. Moves well without the ball and makes defenders pay for late closeouts. Competes on both ends and brings steady effort within the flow of the game. His comfort as a scorer and willingness to do the small things give him value every time he’s on the floor. Scope Rating: 83.2
2030 Taylor Broughton | Guard | Militant Elite
Taylor is a smooth scoring guard who plays with confidence and composure. Comfortable operating off the catch and off movement, staying shot ready and punishing defensive lapses. Uses good footwork to create space and keeps the offense flowing by making the right reads. Competes with effort and understands how to impact the game without forcing action. Scope Rating: 83.1
2030 Tristan Echols | 99OVR Jr 3SSB
Physical guard who plays with edge and confidence. Attacks downhill, competes defensively, and brings toughness every possession. Shows flashes of leadership and continues to grow into a reliable two way presence. Scope Rating: 98
13U Highlights
13U Gold Division: #5 SW-ranked 99OVR 2K31 Jr 3SSB captured the championship with a 45–37 win over Esby Elite in a competitive field that also featured #4 SW NTX Raptors. GME 2032 played up throughout the weekend and earned consideration for a potential Top 25 team ranking in the 12U division.
Stock Risers
MVP: Vincent Mcnuckles (99OVR 2K31 Jr 3SSB)
Vincent is an athletic wing with a quick handle who thrives in the open floor. Runs the floor hard, finishes through contact, and plays with pace. Shows intriguing long-term upside as a developing prospect out of Illinois. Earned G365 MVP honors (13U Division). Scope Rating: 95.1
2031 Avery Baysah | Guard | NTX Raptors (TX)
Avery is a defense-first, team-oriented guard who does the little things that impact winning. Brings consistent effort on that end, plays within the flow, and is opportunistic on both ends of the floor when chances present themselves. Earned G365 All-Tournament Team honors (13U Division). Scope Rating: 74.7
2031 Elijah Bell | Forward | Militant Elite Jr. 3SSB (TX)
Rugged, athletic forward who plays with physicality and effort. Runs the floor hard, rebounds through contact, and brings toughness to the frontcourt. Offensive skill set is still developing, but his motor, athletic tools, and willingness to do the work give him value as a role player. Scope Rating: 70.7
2031 Ian Del Rio | Guard | Hard Hoops (TX)
Competitive all around guard that uses controlled ball-handling to create effortless dribble-drive opportunities and finish in the paint. Complements his downhill game with a smooth, repeatable shooting stroke. Scope Rating: 86
2031 Preston Bartee | Guard | Esby Elite (TX)
Preston is a smaller guard who plays with feel and confidence. Creates opportunities for teammates, shows strong vision, and leads with his voice and decision-making. Steady presence who keeps the offense organized and competitive. Earned G365 All-Tournament Team honors (13U Division). Scope Rating: 73.7
2032 Tyton Stephens | Guard | GME 2032 (TX)
Tyton is a big, strong guard who knows how to use his body to create advantages. Physical driving the ball, effective on the break, and shows good vision when making plays for others. Finishes through contact and brings a sturdy presence in the backcourt. Earned G365 All-Tournament Team honors (13U Division). Scope Rating: 80.2
12U Highlights
12U Gold Division: Lightning Elite 2032 finished the weekend 4–0, highlighted by a statement win over No. 6-ranked 99OVR 2K32 Jr 3SSB to secure the championship and position themselves for an upcoming Top 5 team ranking. Hard Hoops and Dreams to Reality also impressed with strong overall play, putting both programs firmly in the mix for potential Top 25 team rankings.
12U Silver/Bronze Division Champions: SED Wolverines
Stock Risers
Gold MVP: Camden Parker | Guard | Lightning Elite 2032 (TX)
Camden is a long, smooth shooting guard with deep range and the ability to stretch the floor. Defensively versatile, he can guard multiple positions and impact the game on both ends. Earned G365 MVP honors (12U Gold Division) and capped it off with 22 points and 5 rebounds in the championship game. Scope Rating: 86.7
Silver/Bronze MVP: 2032 Cain Campbell | Forward | SED Wolverines (TX)
Cain is a raw, rugged wing who plays through contact and embraces the physical side of the game. Crashes the glass, cleans up loose possessions, and brings consistent effort on both ends. Earned MVP honors at the G365 12U Silver Division, averaging 15.3 PPG and 9 rebounds. Scope Rating: 80.1
2032 Aldrick Robinson Jr. | Guard | Blount Force Orange (TX)
Physical on-ball defender. Strong man-to-man presence. Leads offensively and consistently capitalizes on open looks. Scope Rating: 71.1
2032 Anthony Krajnovic | Forward | 99OVR 2K32 Jr. 3SSB
Anthony is a bigger forward who plays with patience and poise around the rim. Comfortable taking the shots the defense gives him, shows good feet and touch in the post, and understands how to play within his role. Anchors the paint defensively with shot blocking and strong help-side instincts. Earned G365 All-Tournament Team honors (12U Gold Division). Scope Rating: 83.5
2032 Braxton Taylor | PG | Defenders Elite (TX)
Braxton is a tough, skilled point guard who plays with confidence off the bounce. Strong handle, crafty footwork, and a polished euro step allow him to create space and get downhill. Comfortable shooting the ball and making plays within the flow. Earned G365 All-Tournament Team honors (12U Silver Division). Scope Rating: 77.9
2032 D’Armani Thomas | PG | SED Wolverines
D’Armani is a big-bodied point guard who plays with poise and command. Active defensively, brings a high IQ on both ends, and sets the tone as a vocal leader. Creative passer with strong vision who consistently generates offense and keeps teammates involved. Made the G365 All-Tournament Team (12U Silver Division). Scope Rating: 77.9
2032 Emory Cail | Forward | Hard Hoops (TX)
Active interior presence with developing footwork. Finishes plays around the paint, plays with toughness, and consistently boxes out and rebounds. Provides physical post presence and energy in the paint. Scope Rating: 83.6
2032 Fitzgerald Hatley | Guard | Lightning Elite (TX)
Mature, all-around guard with a strong feel for the game. Shoots it with confidence, moves well off the ball, and consistently makes high-IQ decisions. Brings poise and leadership to the floor- traits that translate from his background as a football quarterback, showing command, vision, and composure under pressure. Scope Rating: 69
2032 Jackson Hamilton | Shooting Guard | Defenders Elite (TX)
Jackson is a quick, instinctive scoring guard who plays well off the feel. Impacts the game in transition, shows good vision as a helper/playmaker, and consistently finds ways to get involved offensively. Strong instincts on both ends as the game speeds up. Earned G365 All-Tournament Team honors (12U Silver Division). Scope Rating: 77
2032 Tylen Thomas | Guard | 99OVR (TX)
Versatile guard with a bigger frame that creates matchup advantages. Rebounds his position and uses strength and craft to score in the low post. Comfortable handling the ball, organizing the offense, and knocking down open shots within the flow. Scope Rating: 82.9
Other Notables: Julian A. Bolden (Esby Elite), Omari Rainey (Dreams to Reality)
11U Highlights
11U Gold Division: The Squad SE 2033 finished the weekend 4–0, closing out the event with a 37–32 championship win over Team Metro. Both programs earned statement performances throughout the weekend and will make their Scope Scouting Team Rankings 2026 debut inside the Top 20.
Stock Risers
MVP: 2033 Luke Ford | Forward | Squad Singleton Elite
Luke is an active, versatile forward with strong physicality around the paint. Plays with high energy and toughness, embraces contact, and finishes effectively. Scope Rating: 87.9
2033 Chance Salinas | Point Guard | Team Metro (TX)
Chance is a heady point guard with a good feel. Creates off the bounce, plays with pace, uses his length, and runs the floor well. Scope Rating: 87.2
2033 Dash McGraw | Guard | Team Metro (TX)
Skilled guard and natural scorer with a tight handle and good feel. Smooth shooting touch, reads the game well, and creates his own offense while making sound decisions under pressure. Scope Rating: 86.1
2033 Harper Hopkins | Forward | Squad Singleton Elite (TX)
Harper is a long, still-developing forward who already makes an impact on the defensive end. He moves well for his size, uses his length to bother ball handlers, and can comfortably switch out and guard guards. The offense is a work in progress, but his defensive presence, effort, and versatility give him a strong foundation to build on. Scope Rating: 82.8
2033 Joel Ekejiuba | Guard | Southern Assault (TX)
Joel is a heady playmaking guard who controls tempo and keeps the offense organized. Makes strong reads, plays for his teammates, and consistently delivers the ball on time and on target. Scope Rating: 74.5
2033 Levi Curry | Forward | Team Metro (TX)
Levi is a smooth, high-feel forward who plays the game the right way. He has a soft shooting touch, uses his length to clean the glass beyond his area, and shows good court sense with how he moves and reads the floor. Scope Rating: 86.7
Other Notable: Nathan Anderson (Southern Heat)
10U Highlights
10U Gold Division: GTA Premier defeated #10 Squad SE 2034 and #11 99OVR 2K34 Jr 3SSB on its journey to the Championship. GTA Premier will make its Scope Scouting Team Rankings debut as a Top 10 team at the end of this month.
Stock Risers
MVP: Jalen Booker (GTA Premier 2034)
Anthony Gates (99OVR 2K34 Jr 3SSB), August Jackson (GTA Premier 2034), Eli Kelly (The Squad SE 2034), and Jamareon Gomillia (SED Wolverines).
9u Highlights
9U Gold Division: Blount Force 2035 went 5-0 defeating a tough Anointed 23-10 in the Championship game. Both teams will make their debut in the Scope Team Rankings at the end of the month. Hype Sports 2036 also had an impressive showing playing up.
Stock Risers
MVP: Diego Esquivel (Blount Force 2035)
Carter Ray Anderson (Anointed Ballers), Dilyn Minor (All Starz 2035), Kevin Kirsey (The Squad SE 2035), and Ryan Shirlee (Hype Sports 2036).