The Court Invitational Showcase Recap

Sunday, August 23rd, 2020

36 players gathered on Friday for the inaugural The Court Invitational Showcase. Broken into 3 separate groups to comply with state regulations, players needed to be nominated by college or high school coaches in order to participate. Plenty of Division 3 coaches were on hand with head coaches from 5 different schools present throughout the day. 

The Court Basketball is a brand new facility in Enfield with a college basketball floor that has offered skill development as well as top notch service in the perfect location to cater to the Hartford & Springfield areas. They have only been open a few months but the atmosphere was phenomenal, here is a look at who impressed. 

Top Performers:

Ian Calabrese, 6’1, 2021, Simsbury HS: Much improved since last November, he clearly has taken his game to another level. Near automatic when his feet are set. He can make tough 3s off the catch, dribble or screen and he has great defensive instincts. 

Joe Carroll, 6’8, 2021, Don Bosco Prep (NJ): Carroll has a big strong body and runs the floor well for his size. He has great passing instincts and is an inside out threat who can stretch the floor. 

Aedan Derrick, 6’6, 2021 Southington HS: Derrick has a great build and a high motor. His skills have improved but he is developing more as a 4-5 than a 4/3. He is an energy guy who plays hard and makes the right moves in the paint. 

Owen Liss, 6’5, 2021, Suffield HS: Liss possess great size for an inside out threat and has great form from 3. He hustles to get back on Defense, has nice awareness and knows how to use his body. Hes the perfect blend piece that coaches are looking for since he can do a little bit of everything.

Matt Walker, 5’9, 2021, Hall HS: Hes small and compact build, he can really play. He has great instincts and is best at driving to the hoop, and he has a tough crossover that always shakes the defenders to get himself open. Defensively he's always in the right spots as well. 

Brady Palazzesi, 5’9, 2021, Somers HS: Brady is a special player with the ball in his hands. He just makes things happen. He's a really smooth & crafty in the lane as well as a high level playmaker who keeps his head up and snaps passes. Palazzesi has textbook form, and is a confident playmaker as well as a super crafty distributor in the lane. Makes everyone around him better, the “quiet and unassuming type”. 

Souleymane Diaby, 6’4, 2021 MacDuffie School: Diaby is a long wing who has a nice handle on the ball and is a good athlete. His IQ and court sense continue to improve. He has a chance to really develop in a college weight room.

Ty Calloway, 6’1, 2021 Enfield HS: Calloway possesses a great build with a college ready body. The Enfield guard has a great feel for the game and knows when to attack the basket and when to shoot. He has an excellent pull up and handle on the ball & can easily shake defenders. 

Eric Tynes, 6’6, 2021 Renaissance (MA): Super long and really skinny but vertical and can finish with his head above the rim, doesn't get pushed around despite his size. Good stroke from the perimeter and can also be opportunistic making plays. 

Kyle Lombardi, 6’5, 2021, Holy Cross: A swiss army knife on the court, he can do a little bit of everything, and does it with a high motor. Lombardi can defend 2-5, has a slippery handle and can get downhill with the ball. He finishes through contact and plays above the rim.

Matt Rivera, 5’11, 2021, Classical Magnet: One of the better known scorers in the area, Rivera started off Friday a little slow, but he really turned it up later on. Possessing a stockier build, hes wired to score but also a great passer and a strong dribbler. Rivera gets himself in the right positions to score and he's a really talented offensive player. 

Best of the rest:

James Hulland, 6’0, 2021, RHAM HS: Hulland is a scorer who is at his best with the ball in his hands and can really put up points when he gets going.

Tommy Garrow, 6’2, 2021, Ellington HS: Skinny but tough player who plays through contact. He has great habits defensively, and could be a totally different player 25 pounds from now. Garrow is a very high academic prospect as well, boasting a 4.9 GPA in the classroom. 

Austin Koolery, 6’4, 2021, Pascack Valley HS (NJ): Koolery hustles to get second chance points, has a great motor and great instincts on D. He can also stretch the floor and score from all 3 levels.  

Jake Wolf, 5’10, 2021, Pascack Valley HS (NJ): Wolf is a true point guard with a lot of wiggle to his game. He has great mechanics and makes smart passes. Wolf can also use his speed to get by defenders.

Tre Hodge, 6’0, 2021, Sabis Charter (MA): Hodge has a great build & a strong body, he sees the floor well, gets downhill, and plays through contact. He also hustles, works for rebounds and holds a 3.9 gpa.

Josh Burke, 6’0, 2021, Canton HS: A spot up 3 point shooter specialist, Burke has a high IQ, and is a fundamentally sound player who makes the extra passes. 

Noah Salcedo, 5’8, 2021, Pennington School: A true point guard who is always looking to set up his teammates, Salcedo is a great passer and a strong dribbler. He is at his best at getting downhill and finding an open man or setting up a Pick and roll.

Dylan Olson, 6’2, 2021, Southington HS: Jack of all trades master of none type player, he makes tough plays on both ends of the floor and has great court awareness. Olson also can draws defenders out and makes the right plays. 

Will Parisi, 6’0, 2021, Don Bosco Prep (NJ): Catch and shoot specialist who kept the D honest when he attacked and finished with tough layups at the basket.

Elijah Parent, 6’0, 2021, Bristol Eastern HS: A High academic (3.9) true point guard who has the ball on a string. Hes smooth, verbal, crafty, sees the floor and knows how to play. He pushes the pace and controls the tempo. 

Cody Palazzesi, 6’2, 2022, Somers HS: Brady’s younger brother but totally different players. Cody does a little bit of everything and has great work ethic on the floor, as he plays hard, goes for rebounds, works defensively, and communicates. 

Tayzhon James, 6’3, 2022: James is crafty and knows how to use his broad build. He has good positional size, gets in the right spots, and comfortable with the ball in his hands. 

Daovion Reid, 6’0, 2023 & Jordan Click, 5’9, 2022, Commerce HS (MA): Commerce has a pair of nice guards in Reid & Click. Reid is shifty with an excellent spin move, hes needs to get in shape but he uses his body to carve space and can score at all 3 levels. Click is a shifty playmaker with a high iq, great court sense and good vision as well as being vocal on the defensive end.