DATES & SITES (all Sundays)
- September 20: Western New York (SUNY Brockport – Rochester, NY area) (two sessions: 10-12:30 & 12:30-3)
- October 11: NY Capital District (Impact Athletic Center – Albany, NY area) (two sessions: 10-12:30 & 12:30-3)
- *** potential third location and date TBD this week ***
- For: Girls in Classes of 2027-2030 (9th-12th grade)
- REGISTRATION: FALL SHOWCASE REGISTRATION LINK
- Payment: Venmo or CashApp (JeffMlinar for both); PayPal link (slight upcharge for service fee) at Fall Showcase Series PayPal; inquire directly about other options
- Cost: $95 per session
- *these are showcases designed for the advanced HS player with desire to play at the college level*
Fall menus are getting released. Spirit Halloween is already open. It’s not blazing hot anymore. It might not say ‘fall’ on the calendar, but it’s around the corner. Year #12 of Empire State Takeover fall event season is upon us!
Time for the EST Fall Showcase Series. My goal remains to put the focus on more players from all corners of the extended EST coverage region while providing more convenient exposure & visibility opportunities. So this fall, I’ll be traveling to host showcases in different points of the EST event triangle to provide those convenient settings.
The opening session opens the door for Western New York & beyond, as SUNY Brockport (just west of Rochester, NY) plays host to a Fall Showcase day on September 20. The Showcase Series closes in my home area of the NY Capital District, with Impact Athletic Center just north of Albany hosting EST’s traditional “second Sunday of October” fall event on October 11. There is potential for a third date in between these two in a different region, though details have yet to be finalized. If this comes to fruition, it’ll be updated on this page in coming days. Both 9/20 and 10/11 are multi-session events with morning & afternoon options.
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 in front of a large collection of college coaches & evaluators. 3v3 play allows participants to get into a rhythm, provide a different look, and maximize touches & “in-game reps”. There is also a long stretch of traditional structured 5v5 run, with rosters geared to be competitive for all participants. In addition, all athletes take part in a focused 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. Over 750 ‘ESTers’ have moved on to compete at various levels of college basketball, and now approaching two dozen have taken it a step further by playing professionally across the globe & now in the WNBA as well. With that, events are always well-attended by college coaches, with dozens often across the baselines or sidelines (as many as 45 at a single event last year, at the Summer Kickoff) – including some 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.
Event days are some of my favorite days of the year, and I’m looking forward to the Fall 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 this fall!
