BYU Basketball Reportedly Will Play In 2025 Diamond Head Classic
Feb 6, 2025, 4:03 PM | Updated: 4:32 pm
HONOLULU, HI - DECEMBER 25: The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors hoist the championship trophy after winning the championship game of the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic against the SMU Mustangs at the SimpliFi Arena on December 25, 2022 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
(Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
PROVO, Utah- BYU basketball is loading up for the nonconference schedule in 2025-26 with No. 1 prospect AJ Dybantsa on the roster.
In anticipation of next season’s buzz, the BYU Cougars have reportedly accepted an invitation to participate in the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii.
College Basketball Insider Jon Rothstein reported the news.
Source: BYU and five-star prospect AJ Dybantsa — the top ranked player in the 2025 class — will participate in the 2025 Diamond Head Classic during Thanksgiving Week.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) February 6, 2025
The Diamond Head Classic is an eight-team early-season tournament that takes place during the nonconference portion of the college basketball schedule.
Since its inception in 2009, the Diamond Head Classic has occurred during the week of Christmas, but in 2025, the event will shift to the week of Thanksgiving.
The Big West Conference hosts the tournament, with games happening at SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center, the home of the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors.
Last year’s field consisted of host school Hawaii, Charlotte, Charleston, Loyola Chicago, Murray State, Oakland, Oregon State, and Nebraska, who would go on to win the tournament.
The Cougars’ last appearance in the Diamond Head Classic was in 2021, when BYU defeated South Florida in the first round, lost to Vanderbilt in the semi-final, and then defeated Liberty in the third-place game.
The rest of the field for the 2025 Diamond Head Classic has not yet been filled, but BYU’s opponents will be revealed over the next few months.
AJ Dybantsa scores 35 points and grabs 15 rebounds to open MAIT
BYU signee AJ Dybantsa was on fire in this game. He knocked down 7-of-8 from three-point range. https://t.co/V5LJgtzSx5
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) January 30, 2025
AJ Dybantsa and Utah Prep took on Sagemont Prep from Weston, Florida, on Thursday for day one of the MAIT.
Utah Prep defeats Sagemont Prep, 82-79
Utah Prep, led by Dybantsa, came away with an 82-79 victory over Sagemont.
Dybantsa, the nation’s No. 1 recruit in the class of 2025, scored 35 points on 13-of-21 shooting from the field in 32 minutes. The 6-foot-9 wing knocked down 7-of-8 from 3-point range and hit 80% of his 10 free throw attempts.
Along with the scoring, Dybantsa grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds, dished out five assists, and had three steals in 32 minutes.
Dybantsa’s 15 rebounds were five shy of the total Sagemont grabbed as a team with 20.
The leading scorer in the game was four-star Miami signee Matthew Able. He dropped 39 to keep Sagemont in the game.
Along with Dybantsa, Utah Prep’s leading scorers were 2026 four-star Anthony Felesi and Washington signee JJ Mandaquit, each with 15.
BYU signee Xavion Staton played nine minutes off the bench for Utah Prep, grabbing five rebounds and recording one blocked shot.
#1 ranked player in 2025 AJ Dybantsa was lights out in his MAIT debut! He put up 35 points, 15 boards and 5 assists 🔥 @ADybantsa pic.twitter.com/mBpkqeKjUz
— Courtside Films (@CourtsideFilms) January 30, 2025
Utah Prep will be back in action tomorrow for the semifinals of the Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament. They will take on CIA Bella Vista from Scottsdale, Arizona.
RELATED: AJ Dybantsa selected to 2025 McDonald’s All-American Game
CIA Bella Vista defeated Riviera Prep on Thursday, 72-43. Recent Georgia Tech commit Mouhamed Sylla leads the Bears along with uncommitted 2025 class four-star Jaion Pitt.
Utah Prep versus CIA Bella Vista will tip-off on Friday at 2 p.m. (MST)/4 p.m. (EST).
Mitch Harper contributed information to this story.
