2019 Wilton Basketball Showcase Top Performers

The cavernous, four full-sized court Wilton High Field House was put to great use on the weekend of October 12-13. Wilton High coach, Joel Geriak rounded up 20 FCIAC and SWC programs for a showcase event. It gave everyone a preview of the upcoming wave of talent coming out this winter and generally stoked the excitement levels at the various programs.


RecruitTheBronx.com made note of the following Top Performers:


Joe August (2020) 6’3 guard, Stratford High – August is a combo guard with good size and athleticism. He is very good in attacking the basket in transition and also has the ability to knock down open 3’s. Drawing major interest from several D3 schools in the Northeast.

 

Jamal Boyd (2020) 5’11 point guard, Norwalk High - Boyd is a lightning quick, pass-first point guard who led the Bears in both scoring and assists over their six games in the Showcase. He is also a suffocating ball defender.

 

Rasheem Walston (2020) 5’9 guard, Amistad High - Walston is a very good shooter from behind the arc, complemented nicely by an excellent mid-range pull-up jumpshot.  Drew attention from several D3 coaches at last month’s Hoop Group exposure event in CT.

 

Eli Blackwell (2021) 5’8 point guard, Amistad High - Blackwell was named All-State Honorable Mention last year as a sophomore.  He is a tenacious, tough, attacking PG who scores from all three levels and also sets up teammates with paint penetration.


Brendan McMahon (2020) 6’0 guard, Fairfield Warde High - McMahon, a lefty, is a great ballhandler with ability to get to the rim and knock down the 3.

 

Tom McTague (2020) 6’3 guard, Fairfield Warde High - McTague has really improved his game this offseason. He has a consistent midrange jumper and knocked down the long 3 all weekend.

 

Dennis Parker (2020) 6’5 forward, Fairfield Warde High - Parker is a strong rebounder who contributes on both ends of the floor. All weekend he dominated on the boards and provided a strong inside presence.

 

Eli Feay (2020) 6’6 forward, Fairfield Warde High - Feay has the ability to knock down the 3 which really stretches the opposing defense. He was also a big factor on altering many shots on the defensive end. 

 

Eric Miller (2020) 6’0 shooting guard, Brien McMahon High - Miller is a knockdown shooter with out-of-the-gym range, while also being able to slash and get to the rim.


Jajuan Wiggins (2020) 6’1 point guard, Brien McMahon High -  Wiggins is a tough, physical court general who can distribute as well as he can score it. With a high basketball IQ that is rare today, he is a valuable asset to make his teammates even better.


Quentar Taylor (2020) 6’2 point guard, Trumbull High - Its only takes about a few mintues of watching Taylor play before the phrase “strong with the ball” arises. He is thickly built, with a terrific handle and moves low through the holes like Ezekiel Eliot. New teammates need to adjust and always have their hands up, because a quick, decisive, no-look pass will find their face otherwise.


Cape Holden (2020) 5’8 guard, Trumbull High - Previously known as a spot-up shooter, Holden now puts the ball on the floor to free up his quick-release from anywhere. A player that Trumbull loves welcoming back, but the FCIAC, not so much.


Johnny McCain (2022) 6’0 shooting guard, Trumbull High - McCain has obviously made the shot-rep investment to become a long range weapon. He impressively maximizes that weapon with terrific off-the-ball movement to get open. Once his upperclassmen teammates get to their mid-season realization of how badly he can stretch and destroy a defense, he is going to help Trumbull win games this winter.


Ryan McAleer (2020) 6’1 point guard, New Canaan High - McAleer runs the New Canaan show with the confidence of the returning State Champion, that he is. He is athletic, crafty, low-to-the-ground, and very hard to stay in front of.


John Hall (2020) 6’6 forward, New Canaan High - Hall has excellent length and is a great defender. He finished well around the hoop


Henry Pohle (2020) 6’6 swing, New Canaan High - Pohle is a match-up problem with his inside/outside combo game. He makes plays around the hoop and knocks down the 3, after forcing a conservative close-out.


Mario Castaldo (2020) 6’0 guard, New Canaan High - Castaldo made some good takes to the basket and is a good defender.


Leo Magnus (2021) 6’5 wing New Canaan High - Magnus has some offense in his skill package. He attacked the rim really well, and made threes.


Christian Sweeney (2021) - 6’0 guard New Canaan High - Sweeney continues his family heriatge of being a high level baller. He made his threes and defended with good energy.


Ian Bentley (2020) 6’5 wing, Fairfield Ludlowe High - The long lefty has the ability to stretch the defense and knock down the open 3, making him a tricky match-up for opponents. He can also handle the rock, making him an attractive prospect to a variety of high level D3 teams.

 

Chris Carlucci (2020) 5’10 guard, Fairfield Ludlowe High - Carlucci can really play some defense and has worked very hard during the off season to expand his game. This quick guard can handle the ball and has improved his jump shot heading into the 2019-20 campaign.


Patrick Leverty (2020) 6’2 guard, Fairfield Ludlowe High - A confident, deep range shooter. He made some big shots in Ludlowe’s run to the Showcase Championship over the weekend.

 

Andrew Smith (2020) 6’3 guard, Wilton High - Smith is very long and is a natural scorer. Good shooter. He has a very high b-ball IQ and makes others better around him.

 

Josh White (2021) 6’0 guard, Wilton High - White is a good shooter and a very good slasher and finisher. He works hard on defense and is a player that Wilton will look to this year. 

 

John Walsh (2020) 6’6 forward, Wilton High - Walsh has a good 15-17 foot jump shot. He plays bigger then he is bey being very physical. Rebounds well.


Rahsen Fisher (2020) 6’5 swing, Trinity Catholic High - Fisher has finally come into his own, transforming his body and demonstrating an exceptional skill-level as both a scorer and facilitator.  He can play all five positions.  Not a wonder that he has colleges at every level very interested.


Malcolm Newman (2020) 6’2 guard, Trinity Catholic High - Newman looks extremely comfortable with his new TCHS teammates, after having transferred from Iona Prep this year.  A true combo guard, Malcolm’s physicality impacts the game at both ends of the floor.  We knew he could attack the rim, but he also shot the ball very well from deep.


Akim Joseph (2021) 6’5 wing, Trinity Catholic High - Joseph is a freak athlete who continues to improve in every facet of the game.  His outside shooting has improved dramatically over the past year (made nearly every free throw over the course of the weekend), making it nearly impossible to defend him without help.  He already has a number of low-to-mid major D1 offers.  As high a ceiling as anyone to come out of the FCIAC in years.

 

Rassoul Abakar (2021) 6’8 forward, Trinity Catholic High -  Abakar is a stalwart on the defensive end, consistently altering and/or blocking shots throughout the weekend.  But don’t sleep on him offensively, as he showed an outstanding touch around the basket; shooting jump hooks over both shoulders.  While he’s unlikely to be called upon to do it much scoring with this loaded TCHS team, he shows a terrific stroke from 18’ feet and in.  Garnering lots of attention at the low-to-mid D1 level.

 

Andrew Saint-Louis (2021) 5’10 point guard, Trinity Catholic High - Saint-Louis is a true point guard, who on any other team would be a focal point as a scorer.  He is an extremely good ball handler, distributor and decision maker who plays an unsung complementary role on this team.  Don’t sleep on him!

 

Sean Guiry (2020) 6’5 forward, Immaculate High - Guiry howed great inside moves and carried his team this past weekend. Not only can he play inside, he hit some big 3’s when his team needed them. He will be on of the top players in the South West Conference this coming season. Guiry has been drawing interest from several schools in the Northeast.

 

Diego Echavarria (2020) 5’10 guard, Immaculate High - Echavarria controlled the pace of the game as a point guard, great vision on the floor. Found his way to the rim and a quick two points when he wanted. Diego hit some 3’s, keeping his team in each of their five games this weekend. He has caught the eye of several D3 schools last month at the Hoop Group exposure camp in CT.

 

Kevin Vidmar (2021) 6’2 wing, Danbury High - This smooth lefty wing can score in a variety of ways.  Vidmar can knock down shots, has a midrange game, can get to the basket and finish in the paint.

 

Jaden Cook (2020) 6’1 guard, Danbury High - Cook is an athletic combo guard that is a solid defender.  He runs the team, gets to the rim and is able to get in the lane to find teammates.

 

Isaiah Easter (2020) 6’4 wing, Danbury High - Easter is a long athletic wing that can do a little bit of everything.  He has a solid skill set, can run the floor, finish at the rim and guard multiple positions.

 

Steven Gonzalez (2020)  6’3 wing, Danbury High - Gonzalez is an athletic wing with good size and who finds ways to put the ball into the basket.  He has the ability to score at all three levels and is solid defender that also rebounds well.

 

Aren Cummings (2021) 6’4 wing, Masuck High - Cummings is a strong and athletic wing who can get to the rim at will. Impacts the game significantly as a rebounder on both ends.

 

Jake Rosati (2021) 6’2 guard, Masuk High - Rosati both showed off his athleticism and that he could score from all three levels.

 

Mateo Esmeraldo (2021) 5’9 guard, Masuk High - Esmeraldo is a lights out shooter from deep and is also a playmaking assist man off the dribble.

 

Lorenzo Almonte (2022) 5’11 swing, Brookfield High - Good shot creator, can find attack the rim and create separation for jump shots. He has good court vision and feel. High basketball IQ.

 

Austin Ferrante (2023) 6’2 swing, Brookfield High - This freshman thrives against varsity competition. He attacked the basket aggressively and was a sharp shooter. He ran off screens well and hit the glass hard on both ends.