CIAC schools holding first showcase
It’s been a few years in the making, but the CIAC boys basketball schools are finally going to be taking part in a showcase event in their home state.
The 2022 New England Shootout Showcase will be held Friday at Notre DameWest Haven and Saturday at the Floyd Little Athletic Center and Hillhouse High in New Haven. There are 50 boys basketball teams participating in scrimmages with the opportunity to be seen by college coaches.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to show the colleges and the prep schools we have some athletes here. Come and see us,” said Joe Canzanella, president of the Connecticut High School Coaches Association, which helped put the event together along with the CIAC boys basketball committee and others.
Several years ago, the NCAA decided to have the state governing bodies, like the CIAC, run these showcases, or jamborees, on its behalf instead of the AAU programs.
CIAC executive director Glenn Lungarini said back in December of 2019 that the CIAC had intentions of running its first boys showcase in 2020. But the COVID-19 pandemic ended those hopes and did the same last year.
“This is an NCAA event, specific to what NCAA Division I men’s coaches need for recruiting purposes in June,” Lungarini said.
Men’s collegiate coaches from all three levels will be permitted to attend this showcase. Both Lungarini and Canzanella indicated there was a waiting list of high school teams in case any teams dropped out. Registration began in late May with a fee of $250 for each team entered.
Games will take place from noon-10 p.m. at Notre Dame’s Tonelli Court. Four games will be going on simultaneously at the Floyd Little Athletic Center Saturday from 8 a.m to 10 p,m. with additional games being held in the Hillhouse gym next door. The event is not open to the public.
“New Haven has historically been a focal point of basketball in the state of Connecticut,” Wilbur Cross coach Kevin Walton said. “It’s an opportunity to highlight what the city has to offer, our beautiful facility, the Floyd Little Athletic Center. It’s a good opportunity for New Haven to put its best foot forward. New Haven is the mecca, so you have to have it at the mecca.”
In addition to Wilbur Cross, Hillhouse and Notre Dame-West Haven, some of the other schools participating are: Northwest Catholic, Windsor, Ridgefield, Holy Cross, Crosby, Notre Dame-Fairfield, Hand, Stratford, Bunnell, Danbury, Hamden, Branford, Fairfield Warde, Fairfield Ludlowe, Stamford, Harding, New Canaan, Darien, Amistad, Naugatuck and East Haven.
The CIAC is allowing high school coaches to coach their kids throughout the weekend. It is also allowing coaches up to six hours of prep time with their kids leading into the event.
“I am excited to get in the gym and work with my kids,” Bunnell coach Dannie Powell said. “It is also nice to have AAU coaches work with the high school coaches and support the event. I had my kids’ AAU coach reach out to ensure nothing conflicts. I am happy the CIAC is taking action for us to get time with our athletes outside of the winter season. It’s a step in the right direction.”
Lungarini said, “I don’t think six hours on the third weekend in June translates into anything or impacts on anything almost six months later. But this is necessary for the organization, preparation and safety of those who are participating in this event.”
Originally, the event was scheduled to held Saturday and Sunday at the Floyd Little Athletic Center. But for several reasons, including the chance for the coaches to see CIAC kids on a different day than the prep school showcase being held at Hamden Hall Country Day, it was moved to Friday-Saturday.
The prep school showcase will run at Hamden Hall’s Beckerman Athletic Center from 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Hamden Hall and Choate will combine as one team, while Cheshire Academy, Loomis-Chaffee, Brunswick, Brewster Academy, Avon Old Farms and
Wilbraham & Monson are among the other teams competing. The prep school showcase is also not open to the public.
Hamden Hall last hosted the event in 2019. There is a second prep event this year June 24-26 in Milton, Massachusetts. Last year, over 300 coaches attended the one event held at Avon Old Farms.
“( June of 2019 event) was very well-attended by college coaches from every level. I can’t wait to make that happen again for all the student-athletes attending,” Hamden Hall coach Sean Doherty said. “We have an outstanding group of schools attending and it should be an exciting brand of basketball for the coaches to evaluate.”
The athletic center is a backup venue for Hillhouse High’s graduation in case of inclement weather. So Notre Dame made its court available.
“We want them to look ready. Coaches want to see good basketball,” Notre Dame coach Jason Shea said. “It’s fun to be in the gym with the kids again. It’s more about the opportunity to play in front of the coaches.”
Both Canzanella and Lungarini have expressed interest in trying to do a girls basketball showcase event. It would have to fall in a different part of the calendar, however, as June is not a live period for women’s basketball recruiting.
“I think Connecticut has some outstanding male and female student-athletes who get overlooked. There are gems out there people don’t get a chance to see,” Canzanella said.
There will also be an educational component on Saturday, Lungarini said. The players will be learning about NCAA eligibility, recruiting, national letters of intent, what it means to be a student athlete and all of its benefits, and more.
“I’m really excited to have it in New Haven. I’m excited for our athletes to get this opportunity,” New Haven citywide athletic director Erik Patchkofsky said. “We hope this is something we can build on for our athletes in the future.”