Fall 2022 Connecticut Elite – Cardona College Prospects
Connecticut Elite is the largest premier youth basketball and development program in Connecticut. Their younger teams run on the UA Future, NXTGEN, Hoop Group and Marquee Hoops circuits. Their top older teams run on the the HGSL Circuit. Their 2022-23 Fall and Spring 16/17u team coached by Fred Cardona includes a number of college prospects who are profiled below. Cardona is also the boys varsity coach at University High School of Science and Engineering in Hartford. He is also an USAB Gold Licensed Coach and a member of the NABC
Hunter Larson (2024) SG/SF, 6’3, Woodstock Academy (CT) – Big left-handed guard that scores on all three levels. Can take it to the rack effectively while finishing with both hands. Has outstanding shooting range and can hit at high clip when he gets it going. Averaging 15.3 PPG this spring/Fall while shooting 47% from outside the arc. Comfortable shooting the ball 2 ft pass the college line. Uses his frame to rebound well for his position. Improving defensively daily. Will play in college.
Jasheem Mccoy (2023) PG/CG, 5’10, East Hartford High School (CT) – Lightning quick guard with outstanding ball handling and driving instincts. Can get to any spot on the court he wants to and will finish through contact. Has outstanding leaping ability and attacks the offensive boards with success. Excels in the Pick and roll with an effective big. His quick hands and feet make him an outstanding on the ball defender. Colleges love defensive minded lead guards.
Kyle Melville (2025) PG/SG, 5’10, Berlin High School (CT) – High IQ guard that can create off the dribble for himself or his teammates. Has a great feel for the game and knows when to attack and be aggressive or become a facilitator. Excellent off the dribble mid-range shooter and has range to the three-point lane. Plays defense 94 feet and can be very disruptive to opposing guards. Averaged almost 6 assists per game this spring. A future college prospect. 3.5 gpa
Kevin Murray Jr (2025) G/F, 6’4, University High School (CT) – Super athletic wing who is only just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential. Rebounds at a high clip with two hands above the rim. Blocks shots on and off his man with excellent timing. Developing ball handler with expanding his range. Comfortable from 15 Ft in. His all-out effort is unmatched but will need more time and maturity to become a reliable factor on the court. Averaging 10 Rbds w/3 Blks per game this Spring and Fall.
Matthew O’Connell (2025) SG/G, 6’1, Westminster School (CT) – Fundamentally sound guard that can transition from the 1 or 2 seamlessly. Matt can use deceptive ball handling to get into the lane for scoring opportunities for his teammates or himself. His mid-range game is reliable, and he makes great use of pump fakes and jab steps to shift the defenses. He is also a high 90’s % shooter from the free-throw line. Matt uses his long arms to be disruptive on defense. Needs to gain more strength to get to the next level.
Alejandro Oyewole (2024) SG/G, 6’0, East Catholic High School (CT) – Strong defensive minded guard that competes at a super high level. Will fight against guys many inches bigger and pounds heavier than him without giving an inch. Great feet on defense and strength on the post allows him to be a defensive stopper. Strong rebounder for his size and takes care of the basketball on the court. Effective slasher to the hoop with a variety of finishes. Shooting is improving and his range is expanding. Gets out on the break with deceptive speed. Does everything right if not spectacular but is the type of player teams need to win.
Jaydon Schuler (2024) G/SF, 6’5, Conard High School (CT) – Smooth, quick wing, that can slash to the basket for either hand finishing, along with a decent mid-range and long-distance shooting package. Fundamentally sound foot work allows him to be patient on offense. Has a quick first step which allows for drives to the basket. On the defensive end, he can use his length to grab rebounds and deflect passes by playing the lanes. Jaydon is improving on every facet of the game and with more body maturity he can become a scholarship prospect. 4.4 gpa
Zander Timmerman (2024) SG/G, 5’11, Fitch High School (CT) – A scorer on every level which makes him hard to guard. Give him space and he will pull up for an effective jump shot from the mid-range or from deep. Play him too tight and he will slash to the basket for a variety of finishes that includes a reliable floater. Zander is constantly on the move and relocates well. Defensively, he can be disruptive with his quickness and anticipation. Better defensive discipline will make him an intriguing prospect for coaches to evaluate. Averaged 16.5 Points per game this Spring. 3.4 gpa
Quadir Murphy (2024) PG, 5’10, Middletown High School (CT) – A pure point guard that can get into the lane at will to make plays for himself or for others. He finishes through contact and hits free throws. He has a very reliable, dribble pull-up midrange that he needs to utilize more. Has range up to the 3-point line and can get hot in spurts. Defensively if where he excels hounding opposing guards into turnovers with non-stop pressure. Averaged over 3 steals per game that usually led to a breakout opportunity for himself. Needs to have better shot discipline for the next level. 3.3 gpa
Jonathan Christian (2023) G/F, 6’3, University High School (CT) – Jon’s combination of fundamentals and athleticism makes him an intriguing prospect. Does a real good job of utilizing jab steps and pump fakes to free himself up for shots. Goes after rebounds with two hands and takes care of the ball in transition. Has a nice mid-range shooting game that compliments his dribble drive game. Makes great use of two-foot jump stops and a euro step to find angles. He’s continuing to develop as an outside shooter making his fair share off catch and shoot. His long arms and balanced base allow him to defend guards and bigger players. A tighter ball handle will make him a sought-after wing.
Justin Phillips (2022) PG/SG, 5’9, Granby Memorial High (CT) – Arguably the most gifted scorer in the class of 2022 in the CIAC. Can score in a variety of ways and is an impossible matchup for defenders. Has College 3 Pt range and beyond and hits his 3’s at a high clip. Uses a dynamic ball handling package to get into the paint to finish with either hand with or through contact. Very feisty defensively and does a good job of moving his feet and deflecting the ball with pressure. Doesn’t give an inch vs post-up matches against bigger players. Justin currently boasts interest from several Prep Schools and Colleges and will look to play at the next level in the Fall of ’23.
Connor Crist (2025) PG/SG, 6’2, Southington High School (CT) – Connor is fun to watch on the court. Boasts a complete offensive arsenal from all three levels with the uncanny ability to squeeze through the smallest openings. Has a great feel for the game and knows when to score for him team or make the players needed to affect winning. Can get hot in a hurry from the outside. Connor is one of the best offensive rebounding guards we saw in the Fall and his activity gave opposing players fits. Still very young but with added weight, strength, and experience he will be a factor for his team and on college coaches’ radar by his Senior year.
Sean Albert (2024) 6’2, W, Holy Cross High School (CT) - Super athletic wing that can rebound and block shots at a high clip. Mid-range shot looks nice and has a nice stroke from the 3-pt. line. Needs to increase strength to finish through contact and get some consistency in his shooting.
Jayden Barnett (2024) 5’7, PG, Maloney High School (CT) – Tough nose lead guards that is not afraid to mix it up in the paint. Has trouble finishing amongst the trees but gets an unusually high number of offensive rebounds due to his positioning and strength. Good shooter when his feet are set. Needs to continue to develop as a lead guard and develop an understanding of where his best shooting opportunities will be. 3.5 gpa