AJ Dybantsa vs. Nate Ament; Live game reactions and analysis

Boston, Massachusetts – The Grind Session is hosting Hurricane (UT) Prep Academy against Warrenton (VA) Highland School. This matchup features On3’s No. 1 ranked player in 2025, 6-foot-9 wing AJ Dybantsa against player, 6-foot-9 wing Nate Ament.

This game kicks off the season as a homecoming of sorts for Dybantsa, who is a Brockton, Massachusetts native.

The Grind Session Homepage

Live Blog; Dybantsa vs. Ament

8:00 1Q – The game starts off with a good bit of anticipation. Nate Ament gets the opening tip and he goes right to work. Taking a one-on-one -iso and creating a clean look from straight on at about 15 feet. The ball came off the back rim and went to four-star point guard JJ Mandaquit from Utah Prep. Mandaquit pushes the break and finishes with a high-arching shot at the rim.. – Utah Prep 2, Highland 0

4:15 1Q – Nate Ament is the first one between he and Dybantsa to get on the board. He follows his deep three from straight on with a two-dribble pull-up from the short corner. He now has eight points, showing touch and self creation. – Utah Prep 11, Highland 10

3:49 1Q – Mandaquit knocks down his second consecutive three-pointer to give him eight for the game. This one was off the catch from the corner, and splashed nothing but the net. The four-star point guard is of to a hot start in this one. – Utah Prep 14, Highland 12

2:08 1Q – AJ Dybantsa gets on the board with a smooth pull-up three from the left wing. So smooth, with a hesitation in his left hand and pulling up with it. –Utah Prep 17, Highland 15

End of 1Q; Utah Prep 22, Highland 17

6:34 2Q – JJ Mandaquit his playing with a lot of confidence coming out in the second quarter with six straight. He started with a dunk, followed that with a pull-up up and then a rim attack in the half-court. He is finding a matchup he likes and is going right at it. Utah Prep 26, Highland 19

5:57 2Q – Dybantsa knocked down a three in the first quarter, but he has spent the second quarter aggressively attacking the basket. He has a layup in the half-court and a breakaway dunk at this point. He has also drawn a foul off a hard, straight-line drive going right. Utah Prep 32, Highland 19

1:46 2Q – This has been a tough second quarter for Highland as Utah Prep has set their dominance. Dybantsa just ripped Ament at the top of the key and sprinted to the other end for a dunk. Dybantsa has guarded Ament for the better part of this first half with both having some successes. – Utah Prep 41, Highland 21

Halftime; Utah Prep 44, Highland 23

For Utah Prep JJ Mandaquit leads all scorers with 16 points and AJ Dybantsa has 9 points (4-8 FG).

For Highland School Nate Ament leads the way with 11

7:46 3Q – Dybantsa and Ament trade baskets to start the second half. Dybantsa is doing his work in the mid-range and mid-post. He just had a beautiful step through on an up and under, starting his move from about 15 feet out and finishing it at the rim. Ament did well to get into the mid-range as well, creating a clean look with a soft touch. – Utah Prep, 46, Highland 25

5:50 3Q – Four-star wing Anthony Felesi has had a nice game, asserting himself on both ends of the floor. He has had multiple deflections on the defensive end as well as a couple of buckets in the half-court. Felesi has filled his role nicely, answering the call when his number is called so far. – Utah Prep 53, Highland 29

4:49 3Q – Nate Ament and AJ Dybantsa are both showing why they are clear five-star prospects in this 2025 class. It is interesting watching them go against one another as their games are different. Dybantsa is scoring with power and decisiveness. Ament, while being aggressive, is showing more finesse. Using his counter dribbles and step-backs to create space Both players are high-caliber talents. – Utah Prep 55, Highland 38

2:50 3Q – John Southwick for Utah Prep can really shoot the ball. Has knocked down multiple catch-and-shoot threes, spraying from across the three-line. Utah Prep 60, Highland 38

1:06 3Q – JJ Mandaquit has gone from scorer in the first half to set-up man in the second. In the open floor, he has done a great job pushing the break and creating angles to pass teammates open. Has excellent floor awareness and a high basketball IQ. – Utah Prep 63, Highland 41

End of 3rd; Utah Prep 63, Highland 46

In the head-to-head matchup between Nate Ament and AJ Dybantsa, I would give the first and third quarters to Ament and the second quarter to Dybantsa.

7:40 4Q – The fourth quarter starts with back-to-back JJ Mandaquit steals for easy lay-ups at the rim. Both plays he shot the passing lane at the top of the key and finished with a straight line at the front of the basket. He has 24 points and 8 assists and has been fantastic all game. – Utah Prep 67, Highland 52

5:56 4Q – Nate Ament simply stays steady throughout the game. He never rushes or forces anything and his shooting stroke stays true throughout. Ament just knocked down a top-of-the-key three following a Dybantsa airball from the corner. Highland is now back within ten. Ament now has a game-high 24, showing an ability to score at each level. – Utah Prep 67, Highland 58

2:37 4Q – Nate Ament shoots a 30-footer and splashes it, nothing but net. Brings the game within three. Dybantsa returns the favor on the next possession with a nice mid-range turnaround jumper. He then falls to the ground and they stop play as Dybantsa is cramping. Utah Prep 70, Highland 65

Final; Utah Prep 79, Highland 71

Despite a furious second-half comeback for Highland, Utah Prep just proved to be too much as they closed it out down the stretch.

Nate Ament led all scorers with 27 points for Highland. JJ Mandaquit led the way for Utah Prep with 26 points and 9 assists. AJ Dybantsa had 19 points.

AJ Dybantsa on the broadcast after the game, “He (Ament) got the best of me, but we got the dub. That is what matters.”

Top Performers

Five-Star Plus+ SF AJ Dybantsa, Hurrican (UT) Utah Prep

The No. 1 player in the 2025 class, AJ Dybantsa, showcased a powerful arsenal. He has a dynamic offensive game at a lengthy 6-foot-9 and he showed a full array of scoring moves when he was playing 18 feet and in. Dybantsa has excellent footwork in the mid-post. He was able to utilize different upfakes and step-throughs to create clean opportunities for himself.

Something that I saw tonight was a hitch in his jump shot, off the catch, when he gets to the apex of his shot load. While he made his first one, this is something that he is going to have to iron out as it leads to inconsistencies from range.

While some things were a little forced for him tonight, one thing that I really liked about Dybantsa’s game in this one was that he was quick and decisive with his decision-making. Dybantsa worked straight to the rim with minimal moves to get there. His length and athletic pop, really shined through while showcasing some skill in his offensive arsenal. Working through the jump shot will be necessary, so teams cannot just sag and clog with him, but he was able to impose his will at times in this one.

Dybantsa has immense upside.

Five-Star Plus+ SF Nate Ament, Warrenton (VA) Highland School

Nate Ament is On3’s No. 3 overall player in the class. The 6-foot-9 wing has been in the top 15 recruits for this 2025 class for On3 since the October 2023 update. While then, Ament was an On3 outlier, he is now making his case to be mentioned in the same conversation as the No. 1 overall player. In fact, playing on the same court as Dybantsa tonight, Ament was the best player on the floor.

Ament showcased a clam floor game. He proved the defense, was comfortable on the ball, playing in the half-court, and able to get to the spots he wanted. For starters, Ament is a threat from 28-plus feet out. He pulled up multiple times in this one to knock it down. Ament has a quick release on his no-dip shot. While he does not have the explosive burst of others, he has the ability to utilize his dribble to get to his kill spots in the half-court. Ament showed multiple pull-ups and floaters in this one. He attacked from the wing and also set up in the mid-post.

Ament, despite his thin frame, also rebounded the ball well. This got his team out quickly as his teammates filled the lanes and the 6-foot-9 Ament pushed the break. His thin frame is something that will need to be addressed in the long run. He has narrow shoulders and thin ankles, so how much strength he could put on will be interesting to monitor. Ament is an excellent passer, very unselfish and he is a quick processor with the ball in hand.

While he might not have the strength and the athletic pop of others, his feel and basketball IQ complement his size and length very well. Ament is a high-level prospect, one who already has NBA scouts talking.

Four-star PG JJ Mandaquit, Hurricane (UT) Utah Prep

While many observers came to watch Nate Ament versus AJ Dybantsa, the player many left talking about was JJ Mandaquit. Mandaquit is a 6-foot-2 point guard, originally from Hilo, Hawaii playing his senior season in Utah. He finished this one with 26 points and 9 assists in the win.

Mandaquit is coming off a summer where he won his second FIBA gold medal, this one as the starting point guard for the USA U18 in the FIBA World Cup. Mandaquit simply knows how to run the show. He is excellent in the full court and transition, and he can carve a team up playing in the pick-and-roll. In this one, Mandquit finished well at the basket and he moved the ball around. He If the defense collapsed, he set up teammates, if the defense dropped back, he knocked down shots. It was a clinic on how the point guard position should be run tonight.

On3 currently has Mandaquit ranked higher than the rest of the industry, as the No. 46 overall player and the sixth-best point guard in the 2025 On3 150

Other standout performers

SG John Southwick (Utah Prep) a Utah Valley commitment showcased a sound jump shot with range and deft touch. When he got a clean look, he has one of those shots you think is always going in. He played with good balance and knew his role on the floor.

4-star SG Anthony Felesi (Utah Prep) did not have a big role on the team, but it seemed every time his number was called, he stepped up to make a play. Felesi scored some buckets inside the arc and he made some defensive plays. He has a sound floor game, adding the defense to the package will be interesting to see how that expands when he is a featured player on his team.

G Chance Perkins (Highland) plays a confident game. He knocked down some shots today and did some with some timely ones as well. He has quick hands on defense and, when he locks in, could be a factor on that end as well. He made himself a factor in this open.

F Josh Hamilton (Highland) is an interesting player. He has a good frame with nice length and some explosive pop. The 6-foot-9 forward seems to still be putting it all together, however, the senior showed some flashes in this one. He can play above the rim and he can slide and rim ptect on defense. Ther eis upside in there.