2026 WNY #E75 College Showcase Recap pt. 1

Thursday, June 11th, 2026

Last night, we returned to Rochester New York, taking over Edison Tech for a night of real exposure to college coaches. Just about 70 players looking to play the collegiate level walked into the gym, playing in front of at least 40 college coaches from 25 different schools. The hardwood was loaded with talent spanning primarily from Buffalo to Rochester to Syracuse, New York, better known as the Western & Central regions of the state. 

While we continue to gather our notes and highlight the talent we saw in the event, here's the first round of standouts we saw last night.

Landon Washburn
Honeoye, 6’8”, 2027
The big wing showed off his expanded versatility in his outing last night. He was able to rip boards right off the rim, and attack in transition with his handle. Brings extensive length to the court with athleticism to get up above the rim, fluid movement and feel. His game surely warrants scholarship looks.

Chase Leonardo
Cheshire, 6’1”, 2027
Leonardo has been a key cog for Team Northeast this spring and has really boosted his stock as a prospect. His standout trait is the pure release he brings from beyond the arc, but he’s also a capable facilitator who can make quick reads. A lot of shotmaking in his game, and he can get them off quickly.

Jared Reynolds
Liverpool, 6’4”, 2028
It’s evident when you see Reynolds on the court that he has some upside to continue to work towards tapping into. He’s a super fluid southpaw shooter that seamlessly rises into shots. He’s got some pop to get off the ground for dunks and attacks lanes to get inside and finish around the basket. At only 16 years old, his game is one to keep an eye on.

James Piorkowski
Liverpool, 6’5”, 2028
Piorkowski walked into the gym yesterday as a player we had yet to see in person, and quickly stood out during gameplay. A 6’5” forward, Piorkowski has a lot of length to his frame and some bounce to match. He was able to attack defenders and finish with force as a dunk threat, while also swatting shots inside and protecting the paint.

Jaden Schwenebraten
Salisbury, 6’3”, 2027
Receiving a ton of high academic interest, the Rochester-based 2027 continues to be a gem in the class coaches are eyeing. Schwenebraten has a balanced scoring skill set to make shots and use his bounce to rise up and finish with authority. He limits mistakes, making strong decisions with the ball, playing off two, and competing hard defensively. Has reported interest from high academics at multiple levels.

JJ Mastin
Victor Central, 6’0”, 2027
Many watching were talking about the performance and skill set Mastin brings to the floor, proving himself as a sound college prospect. He’s a quick scorer who can create space and make shots efficiently. Definitely got in a good rhythm last night as a shooter and showed out.

Aidan Gunther
St. Joe’s (Buffalo), 6’3”, 2027
The Buffalo-based wing fits the mold of a term coaches throw around, which is, a driller. Gunther is a player who takes up gravity with his ability to make shots off the catch and just light it up. He does a good job of attacking closeouts and finishing at the basket. High Academic.

Carter Proudfoot
Corning Painted Post, 6’1”, 2027
Proudfoot is a guard who can make a massive impact on the game with his two-way play. He really gets into opposing ball handlers, moves quickly laterally and forces turnovers. On offense, his quickness with the ball stood out, while he also made reads, used his body to shield it, and attacked the angles he was given.

Cooper Grassel
Asheville School, 6’3”, 2028
The City Rocks EYCL 16’s product is a very tough and dynamic shotmaker. He’s able to use his bigger frame to get around smaller guards on drives, using footwork to create space and finish inside. His ability to make shots, however, stands out as he needs little space to get them off and has range.

James Engelbach-Schafer
St. Mary’s, 6’4”, 2027
The versatile forward, hailing from Lancaster NY, has a well-rounded game in the class of 2027. Standing around 6’4”, Engelbach-Schafer can post up and score off entry passes, pick and pop from the arc, and score it off the rip. He does a nice job of covering ground on defense and getting deflections.

Nymeer Dozier
New York Military, 6’2”, 2027
The physicality to which Dozier has been accustomed to playing at NYMA definitely stood out here. He was in constant attack mode, getting downhill and pushing defenders off their spots to get to the cup. Uses his toughness on the defensive end as well to really get into the opposition.

Drake Sapp
Greece Arcadia, 6’0”, 2027
Sapp’s standout play on the gridiron most certainly translates to the hardwood as his athleticism and speed shine. The Rochester native was all over the place using his quickness and handle to get paint touches where he could score himself or drive and kick to shooters. Created space for himself in the mid-range to make shots, too.