Three #E75 Alums Make NE-10 All-Rookie Team
With the annual Elite 75 College Showcase Series on the horizon, the opportunity to grow your name in the college ranks as a rising senior is awaiting.
Since the revival of the Elite 75 College Showcase in 2023, the numbers are glaring. In the first year of its return, about 50 coaches came into the building. Last year, the event had over 85 college coaches, with some schools bringing their entire staff, or prestigious institutions such as Johns Hopkins (Maryland) popping in.
In the 2023 edition of the event (class of 2024 prospects) three standout guards committed to play in the NE-10, and were just named to the All-Rookie Team this spring – Lenny Tangishaka (Assumption), Najimi George (New Haven) and Christian McClease (SCSU).
Tangishaka was a name that took off at the Elite 75 College Showcase, playing directly in front of his future school. His motor and high energy defensive play turned heads, and translated seamlessly to the next level.
This season, Tangishaka started 30 games for the Greyhounds putting up 7.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. He shot 50.3% from the field as well, to go along with a 38.9% clip from outside.
His play was vital to Assumption’s postseason success this season as they made a run to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
The biggest news on the scene this morning is that the University of New Haven is moving up to the Division I level, joining the Northeast Conference.
Najimi George, an alumnus of Kolbe Cathedral (Bridgeport, CT) was a coveted 6-4 guard in the 2024 class. George had Division I aspirations for his game, but ultimately decided to stay close to home, and now gets to do so at that level anyhow.
In his rookie season, the Elite 75 alum played in 27 games, starting 18 of them, and posted 8.1 points, and 3.2 rebounds per game. He’ll be joined by two more elite 75 prospects in Aidan Losiewicz and Dominick Laduca this fall.
Christian McClease came into the Elite 75 in 2023 with a ton of momentum heading into a postgraduate year at Choate. Another sizable guard, McClease played in 27 games this season, averaging 8.1 points per game while converting at a 38% rate from outside.
Staying close to home was a great selling point for McClease, who played his entire high school career in the area at Wilbur Cross & Choate. He’s now got more time to continue to cement himself in the New Haven area at the college level.
Aidan Losiewicz
Dominick LaDuca