Live updates: UK basketball signee Jayden Quaintance, other recruits playing in Louisville

This weekend’s high school basketball showcase event in Louisville is full of Kentucky recruits.

The Derek Smith Invitational powered by MADE Hoops (taking place Saturday and Sunday at Saint Xavier High School in Louisville) specifically features four players with recruiting ties to the UK men’s basketball program.

Jayden Quaintance (Word of God Christian Academy) is a 2024 Kentucky signee who committed to and signed with the Wildcats in November. The 6-foot-10 big man is a top-10 recruit and is expected to play two seasons of college basketball.

Jasper Johnson (Link Academy) is a former high school basketball star in the commonwealth at Woodford County High School. The left-handed, 6-foot-3 Johnson was at Big Blue Madness in October and is one of UK’s top guard recruits in the 2025 recruiting class.

The highest-rated players in the class of 2025 (small forward AJ Dybantsa) and the class of 2026 (power forward Tyran Stokes) both play at California-based Prolific Prep, and both recently picked up Kentucky scholarship offers. This weekend also marks a homecoming for Stokes, who is originally from Louisville.

All four players will be in action across Saturday and Sunday at the Derek Smith Invitational, and the Herald-Leader will be in attendance to watch each of them play, with notes and updates on each player to come below.

Jayden Quaintance not in uniform at Derek Smith Invitational

UK basketball 2024 signee Jayden Quaintance won’t play for Word of God Christian Academy (North Carolina) at the Derek Smith Invitational.

Word of God’s only game is a Sunday afternoon contest against Southern Coast Academy (Florida).

Earlier Sunday, Jayden’s father, Haminn, posted on social media that his son had sustained a gash to his face that required stitches.

The injury prevented Jayden from playing in Sunday’s game, which was set to be a showcase event for the future Kentucky Wildcat.

Tyran Stokes drops 20 points in another Prolific Prep win

On Sunday afternoon, Tyran Stokes was at it again for Prolific Prep.

The Louisville native followed up a high-energy 12-point outing on Saturday night with a 20-point performance on Sunday afternoon as Prolific Prep saw off a game challenge from host school St. Xavier, 83-74.

Stokes scored in a variety of ways again Sunday: From behind the 3-point line, from the foul line and at the rim.

Stokes, the top-ranked prospect in the 2026 recruiting class, scored a Kentucky scholarship offer late last month. UK was three-deep for his Sunday scoring barrage: John Calipari was joined by assistant coaches Orlando Antigua and Chin Coleman in the stands at Saint Xavier High School in Louisville.

AJ Dybantsa, Stokes’ standout teammate at Prolific Prep and the top-ranked recruit in the 2025 class, had a less than stellar offensive showing against the host Tigers. But Dybantsa still found ways to impact winning, in particular by rebounding.

He also had enough enough offensive game to make an open wing 3-pointer in the closing minutes to shut the door on a potential St. X comeback.

Jayden Quaintance unlikely to play at Derek Smith invitational

It looks like one of the big stars set to play in the inaugural Derek Smith Invitational will be unable to take the court.

Kentucky basketball 2024 signee Jayden Quaintance — who committed to and signed with the Wildcats last month — was one the big names set to partake in the event with his Word of God Christian Academy (North Carolina) team.

But early Sunday morning, Quaintance’s father, Haminn, posted on social media that his son was unlikely to play Sunday in Louisville due to an injury.

In the social media post, Haminn said Jayden was hit in the face and sustained a gash that required stitches.

“He will be in attendance but 9 times out of 10 he won’t be playing tomorrow in Louisville,” part of the message read.

Tyran Stokes impresses in basketball homecoming in Louisville

Tyran Stokes is the top-ranked sophomore in the country, and on Saturday night he flashed several moments where his outstanding basketball talent was evident.

The 6-foot-7 power forward from Prolific Prep contributed 12 points and high-energy plays throughout Prolific’s thrilling 77-76 win over Link Academy, the defending national champions, in Saturday’s showcase game of the Derek Smith Invitational.

Stokes, who was born in Louisville, excited the hometown crowd with a pair of alley-oop finishes, a dunk and a 3-pointer in the first quarter alone.

“I felt like I played good. I could have improved a little bit in the second half, brought a little bit more energy. But I just wanted to go out there, (my) first game back,” said Stokes, who picked up a Kentucky scholarship offer late last month. “I knew I wasn’t going to be playing long spurts, so I just wanted to take my time and go hard when I was in.”

Stokes is the only class of 2026 player to hold a UK scholarship offer, and his strong hometown game came in front of several college coaches.

Alabama assistant coaches Austin Claunch and Preston Murphy, Louisville assistant Nolan Smith and Kentucky assistants Orlando Antigua and Chin Coleman were all courtside for the game.

“It’s Kentucky. Everybody wants Kentucky, it’s the top of the top,” Stokes said about getting a UK offer. “Being from Kentucky and getting that offer really means something to me.”

Dybantsa, Stokes shine in Prolific Prep win over Link Academy

As far as showcase high school basketball games go between national powerhouse programs, it doesn’t get any better than Saturday’s headlining matchup between Prolific Prep and Link Academy.

Led by AJ Dybantsa’s 26 points, Prolific secured a thrilling 77-76 victory in front of a vocal crowd at Saint Xavier High School.

Tyran Stokes — the top ranked recruit in the class of 2026 and a Louisville native — added 12 points, nine of which came in the first quarter and included three dunks and a made 3-pointer.

In a losing effort, Link Academy’s Tre Johnson (a former UK recruit, now a Texas signee) shined with 23 points. Arkansas signee Jalen Shelley had 24 points and Jasper Johnson, the former Woodford County High School star, had 10 points (including three made 3-pointers).

The thrilling contest played out with a trio of in-state college basketball assistant coaches sitting courtside: Louisville’s Nolan Smith and Kentucky’s Orlando Antigua and Chin Coleman were all on hand for the action.

Kentucky assistant coaches in the gym for Link Academy, Prolific Prep game

Despite Kentucky’s shocking Saturday evening loss at home to UNC Wilmington, a pair of UK assistant coaches have made the trek from Lexington to Louisville to watch several Wildcat recruits in Saturday’s featured game between Link Academy (Missouri) and Prolific Prep (California).

UK assistants Orlando Antigua and Chin Coleman are both in the gym to watch Jasper Johnson (2025) on Link Academy and AJ Dybantsa (2025) and Tyran Stokes (2026) on Prolific Prep.

Louisville assistant coach Nolan Smith is also on hand for the game.

Link Academy, Prolific Prep set for Saturday night showdown

The showcase game of the Derek Smith Invitational is about to get underway.

The fifth and final game of the Saturday slate at Saint Xavier High School in Louisville pits Link Academy (Missouri) against Prolific Prep (California).

Link Academy, a relatively new prep basketball powerhouse based in Missouri that won the 2023 GEICO Nationals championship, boasts a plethora of standout class of 2024 players that have signed with top college programs.

This includes former UK recruit and now Texas signee shooting guard Tre Johnson, guard Labaron Philon (Kansas), small forward Jalen Shelley (Arkansas) and center James Brown (North Carolina).

From a Kentucky basketball perspective, the interest lies with the aforementioned Jasper Johnson, who is the son of Dennis Johnson, the former Harrodsburg, UK and NFL football player who currently serves as the head football coach and athletics director at Woodford County High School.

Jasper Johnson, a class of 2025 recruit, earned a scholarship offer from Kentucky in May.

On the other side, Prolific Prep features center Aiden Sherrell (an Alabama signee) and guard Zoom Diallo (a five-star recruit).

But, Kentucky basketball fans should have their eyes on two other Prolific Prep players that recently picked up UK scholarship offers: Small forward AJ Dybantsa and power forward Tyran Stokes.

Dybantsa is universally viewed as the top prospect in the 2025 recruiting class. The 6-foot-8 Dybantsa was the leading scorer at the Nike EYBL season-ending Peach Jam event this summer, averaging nearly 26 points per game while playing up several age groups.

Stokes, who is from Louisville, is the top prospect in the 2026 recruiting class and also played up on the Nike EYBL circuit this year with Vegas Elite, helping lead that team to the Peach Jam championship game.