Da Matchup Showcase Day 2 | The New School vs. Grind Prep

Background

Game 6 introduced a matchup that came with curiosity and zero expectations on either side. I had never seen The New School Cougars play before, though their roster includes a major headliner:

Mizzou signee Aidan Chronister, a long and skilled 6’8 forward who has drawn attention across the region. They also added Ryder Scribner, a transfer from Harrison who made plenty of noise for the Goblins over the last two seasons.

Their opponent, Grind Prep, traveled in from Oklahoma City. They’re a program built on the idea that athletics and academics move together, a model becoming more popular as players look for national competition and structured development. I didn’t know much about them coming in, but I learned quickly: they came ready to shoot, run, and test every bit of The New School’s composure.

First Half

Halftime Score: Grind Prep 33 – The New School 28

Grind Prep wasted no time declaring their style of play, perimeter shots, and a lot of them. By the end of two quarters, they had already knocked down six threes and controlled long stretches of the half.

For The New School, it was Ethan Long who kept the Cougars alive. He found rhythm early, scoring 14 first-half points, attacking in transition and finishing confidently at the rim.

Grind Prep shared the ball well, with Drelen Davis and Chance Rodgers pacing the offense at 9 points apiece heading into the break.

Second Half

If the first half belonged to Grind Prep, the third quarter belonged to one person:

Ryder Scribner.

Scribner erupted for 13 points in the third alone, shifting the game’s energy and turning a slow deficit into a lead. When he buried a bucket that put The New School up 52–50, the Cougars’ bench and fans were on their feet. It felt like the game might tilt in their favor for good.

But Grind Prep answered at the horn, a buzzer-beating jumper from Chance Rodgers flipped the score once again, and they entered the fourth up 53–52.

The Cougars refused to go away, but Rodgers had entered something close to flames-only mode. He knocked down big shot after big shot, finishing with seven made threes and 25 points to seal the win.

Scribner closed with 26 points, 22 of them in the second half, one of the strongest scoring stretches of the event. But in the end, Grind Prep hit the final run when it mattered, pushing the lead to double digits in the final minute.

Final Score

Grind Prep 77 – The New School 69

MVP - Chance Rodgers (Grind Prep)

7 threes • 25 points • tone-setter from start to finish

Game 6 closed out the showcase with a high-octane duel between The New School Cougars and Oklahoma City’s Grind Prep, a matchup that quickly turned into a shootout from behind the arc. Grind Prep controlled the pace early, burying six first-half threes and taking a 33–28 lead into the break, but the Cougars roared back in the third behind the unstoppable rhythm of Ryder Scribner. The Harrison transfer poured in 22 second-half points, including 13 in the third alone, to briefly give The New School the edge. But Grind Prep’s sharpshooter, Chance Rodgers, had a performance that simply refused to be overshadowed. Rodgers knocked down seven triples on his way to a game-high 25 points, including a dagger at the third-quarter buzzer that shifted momentum for good. Despite the Cougars’ late push, Grind Prep pulled away and sealed a 77–69 win, heading back to OKC with a statement victory and the showcase’s final MVP honor going to Rodgers.

KFletch 🖤