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The 2025 EST Spring Showcase… SERIES

empirestatetakeover
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DATES & SITES (all Friday nights)

How Many Sessions?
EST events have reached across state lines from the Empire State into Scranton, PA since 2020, but that’s yet to include a spring HS showcase… until this year. The Scranton Spring Showcase takes the court at Riverfront, where NEPA star Chrissy Jacklinski was pictured here from the 2024 Fall Showcase, on May 30.

Fall 2024, the conclusion of Year 10 of Empire State Takeover’s existence, brought a showcase “series” for the first time with events across the general coverage region. That went so well, let’s just make that the model. Introducing…

The EST Spring Showcase Series. My goal remains to get eyes on more players from all corners of the extended coverage region while providing more convenient exposure & visibility opportunities. So in coming weeks, I’ll be traveling to host showcases in all three points of what’s become the EST event triangle. Two are previously established & highly successful events; one is a new addition in a very familiar location.

First up is Western New York, as SUNY Brockport plays host to the 4th Annual WNY Warm-Up on May 2. After that opens the month, Northeast PA closes it with Riverfront Sports in Scranton, PA – a home of EST events each year since 2020 – hosting the 1st Annual Scranton Spring Showcase on May 30. The Showcase Series finishes in my home area of the Capital District, as we break slightly north to beautiful Saratoga Springs for the 8th Annual EST Summer Kickoff at Skidmore College on June 20.

Athletes can choose to attend one or multiple showcase events. Compete local for the convenience, hit the road to expand your horizons around different players and in front of different coaches, or do some of both. Registration for all sessions is taken on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Event format includes various settings of play with minimal down time to provide athletes different opportunities to compete & show their abilities. 3v3 play allows participants to get into a rhythm, provide a different look, and maximize touches & “in-game reps”. There will also be a long stretch of traditional structured 5v5 run, with rosters geared to be competitive for all participants. In addition, all athletes will have the opportunity to get a dedicated skill session – always coordinated by current/former college basketball coaches or highly regarded development specialists.

Since the inception of Empire State Takeover – beginning with the inaugural Summer League in 2015 – EST events have grown into one of the premier opportunities in the Northeast to gain visibility & exposure to collegiate programs and other valuable outlets on a player’s journey, including regional/national evaluators and media. Approximately 600 ‘ESTers’ have moved on to compete at the collegiate level or are committed to do so in the fall, and several have taken it a step further by playing professionally overseas. With that, events are always well-attended by college coaches, with dozens often across the baselines or sidelines – even a few that played in EST events when they were in high school. In order to “showcase”, you need to be able to “show” someone. EST events provide that outlet in a major way, and this series will be no different!

Event days are some of my favorite days of the year, and I’m really looking forward to hitting everywhere with the Spring Showcase Series. Registration & payment links are at the top of the page, and a registered player list (updated daily or as time allows) is directly below. Hope to see you in the gym somewhere over the next few weeks!

Even the alphas have some fun with it sometimes. Molly Mescall, Mallory Heise, and Emily McDonald just wanted a post-event pic… Loren Green said ‘ME TOO!’. The 4 Western New York standouts, all D1 offered or committed, led the charge at last year’s WNY Warm-Up. It’s this event that gets it jumping again in 2025, this time at SUNY Brockport.

REGISTERED PLAYER LISTS

8th Annual Summer Kickoff @ Skidmore (6/20)

4th Annual WNY Warm-Up @ SUNY Brockport (5/2) *post-event participant list*

1st Annual Scranton Spring Showcase @ Riverfront (5/30) *post-event participant list*

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