Cassidy's Takeaways: Sunday action at the Grind Session

PHOENIX – The second day of action at the Grind Session World Championship Tournament unfolded on Sunday, with three games featuring a number of high-level recruits. Rivals.com’s Rob Cassidy was on hand for the day that was in the desert and shares his takeaways below.

*****

Rival Views: Reacting to the NCAA tournament bracket

2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position

2023 Rankings: Rivals150

2024 Rankings: Top 40

*****

Burks left his mark on the Grind Session World Championship on Sunday afternoon as his 20-point, seven-rebound effort led his Central Pointe (Fla.) Christian team to a victory over Denver Prep.

In addition to securing victory, Burks was rewarded with a visit from Florida State assistant coach C.Y. Young, who watched his performance from a courtside seat

“They're on me now,” Burks said following the game. “I like FSU, and it was cool that they came to watch me. I’ve been on a visit there and I liked it. I like coach [Leonard] Hamilton. He talked to my mom a while back and they have a good relationship. She really wants me to go there. Coach C.Y [Young] tells me I am a perfect Florida State wing.”

Burks holds offers from Florida, SMU, Florida Gulf Coast and others.

Jefferson managed to make news without taking the floor on Sunday, as the No. 114 prospect in the 2022 class backed off his pledge to Tulsa in the wake of the program's coaching change. Jefferson’s Minnesota Prep team was eliminated from The Grind Session Championship on Saturday night, but stuck around Sunday taking in the action and discussing his newly reopened recruitment.

“Arizona State reached out,” Jefferson said. “Miami reached out. Wichita State and Dayton, too. A lot of schools."

The Minnesota Prep star was planning to take an official visit to WSU before committing to Tulsa and will likely do so now that he’s back on the market. He plans to take a handful of trips before announcing a decision in the coming month.

“I’m not in any hurry, but I do need to have it done in a month or something like that,” Jefferson said “I really don’t know what the next move is yet.”

Ndongo arrived at the Grind Session Word Championships as an unranked forward in the class of 2023. That won’t last for long, however, as the junior certainly has the tools to find himself in the Rivals150 when the list updates this spring.

On Sunday, the 6-foot-8 forward showed off a high-level motor and a willingness to dive after loose balls in addition to reliable hands and knack for finishing around the rim. Ndongo, whose lean, athletic frame lends itself to versatility, has a baby hook his repertoire and uses his length to change shots as well as block then He pinned a pair of layups against the glass and finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks in his Colorado prep team’s loss to the Balboa School,

Ndongo, who knocked down two mid-range jumpers on Sunday, will play the upcoming summer circuit with the Utah Prospects on the adidas 3SSB circuit, where coaches intend to make him a better shooter from three-point range. If he develops that aspect of his game and becomes stronger from a conditioning standpoint, he could see his stock skyrocket.

The Senegal native has been in the United States for just under two years and already holds offers from programs such as Arizona State, Cal, Washington State, Bradley and Colorado. Memphis has also inquired about him and could get more seriously involved down the road.

“I visited Colorado,” Ndongo said. “I think it was good. I really liked it. Plus they were the first school to really offer and have me visit, so that means a lot to me. I really like it.”

Sunday’s most impressive shooting performance came at the hands of unsigned senior Baron Bracy, who led his Balboa School team to a win on the back of a 31-point game that saw the class-of-2022 prospect go 6-for-9 from three-point range.

The interest in Bracy has mostly come from the D-II level thus far, but a number of mid and low-major Div. I programs including San Jose State, Pacific and Hofstra, were courtside for his big day on Sunday. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound point guard could almost certainly help some level of program in the market for a reliable threat from deep, as he’s also careful with the basketball and has the ability to limit turnovers.

“I’m obviously a shooter, but I can drive and get to my spots as well as kick it out to my teammates,” Bracy said. “I can also catch and shoot the ball.”