Empire State Takeover

Resharing the flyer for an UPDATE!
NEW LOCATION ADDED ‼️

Link for full info & to register 🔗: https://empirestatetakeover.com/2026/08/17/the-2026-est-fall-showcase-series/

2026 EST Fall Showcase Series
🗓️ 9/20: Western New York (SUNY Brockport) (AM & PM session options)
🗓️ 9/27: Lower Hudson Valley (Hackley School, Westchester County) (one session, afternoon)
🗓️ 10/11: NY Capital District (Albany area) (multiple session options)

WNY, the 518, and in between, for the first time in 12 years, a ‘downstate’ event in the heart of Westchester County. Registration open & moving quickly… it’s go time. See you in the gym this fall 🔋

About time to get this out.

🚨NEW EVENT(S) ALERT🚨

2026 EST Fall Showcase Series
🗓️ 9/20: Western NY (SUNY Brockport)
🗓️ 9/27: Lower Hudson Valley (Hackley School)
🗓️ 10/11: NY Capital District

🎓 For 2027-30 classes
⏰ AM & PM sessions on 9/20 & 10/11; single session on 9/27

You know what it is 🔋

Full Info & Register at the link in the comments 🔗

Round 1 of… probably a few 😅

Usually I get straight to the player writeups, but with 4 straight days spent at Spooky Nook, I have more to say.

First up, musings from the final 2026 live period spent at Hoop Group Championships including:

🏆 Northeast Pennsylvania = HGSL Title Town
📝 deeper thoughts about coach attendance & the challenges they face
🧑‍🍼Babysitting time!
🧘‍♂️ my ‘mental health’ team(s) of the week

The goods… link in the comments (subscriber stuff) 🔗

Planned upcoming coverage next 3+ weeks:

7/24-7/27: Hoop Group Summer Championship @ Spooky Nook
7/31-8/2: Battle of NY scholastic event @ Impact
8/7-8/9: BCANY Hoops Festival @ Monroe-Woodbury
8/14-8/16: Daemen women’s basketball Elite + Team Camp
*various summer league stops in between*

Get ahead & be dialed into the coverage by subscribing to the website premium content 📝📸

Subscribe at the link in the comments 🔗
(can cancel anytime)

Saturday in the 802… shall we? 🗣️

Spent a full day up in Northfield, VT taking in the sights & getting eyes on some of the best from Vermont (and a bit of Maine too) at a well put together Norwich University team camp.

Trimmed my notes down to a ‘roster’ of 10 standouts from Saturday. Some of who caught my eye & why… link in the comments (subscriber stuff) ⬇️

Players Featured Include:
2027 - Maddie Grimaldi (📸1), Mya Lumsden, Kelsie Rivard, McKenna Rowell, Taylor Thompson (📸2), Mae Yenkavitch
2028 - Lily Bellerose
2029 - Farrah Pepin (📸3), Naia Studley, Madison Wyckoff (📸4)

Thursday in Rochester… shall we? 🔊

Section V starts July at Primetime camp. Already posted on the socials about a few players - getting more in-depth here. Spent the final day of Coach Iglesia Free Basketball Camp taking in as much as possible. Some of the players that caught my attention and why… link in the comments (subscriber stuff) ⬇️

Players Featured Include:
2027 - Lucy Bush (📸1), Alyssa Cowart, Petra Hunt
2028 - Sophia Frayne, Denari Langston, Leena Mobeen (📸2), Eva Monoski, Darianna Weathers
2029 - Ja’Niyah Bell (📸3), Avery Kroening
2031 - Hadley Graham-Hicks (📸4), Harper Graham-Hicks

“Got any pics?” I hear it every time I’m in a gym. The answer: yes. Of you? Maybe.

The 📸 work is only a small part of this, but seasonal reminder that all photos from everywhere I attend get stored on the EST website. Subscribers can view & download.

Access everything at the link in the comments (separated by month) 🔗

Fell out of the habit of posting the gym pics to FB this spring & now into summer, but here’s the reminder that it hasn’t stopped 💨

Monday: Utica Notre Dame for ULK Premier League (college/post-college/select HS) in the main gym, opening night of ND’s high school summer league in the not-pictured secondary gym

Wednesday: local night, RPI for a quick look at NY Havoc practice, no Midwest for me this July so getting in as much as possible in the practice setting

Thursday: Rochester, Monroe HS for the final ‘playoff’ day of Primetime 585’s Coach Iglesia Free Basketball Camp

Find them wherever, keep tracking in every setting 🤓

Saturday in Ithaca… shall we again? 🗣️

Part 2 of the two-parter from my Ithaca run for Battle by the Lake features the underclassmen. Plenty of young guns brought the heat & made me get to chicken scratching 📝

A few of the Class of 2029-31 players that caught my eye and why, in 100 words or less… link in the comments (subscriber stuff) ⬇️

PLAYERS FEATURED INCLUDE:
2029 - Quinn Boardman, Samantha Bonnell (📸1), Ella Culbertson-Chaszar, Reese Jeamel (📸2), Avery Kroening, Annie Lindstrom, Na’le Malone, Savannah Simmons
2030 - Rayna Carter, Harper Eagan, Emma Johnson (📸3), Kinsley Shortslef (📸4)
2031 - Mia Browngardt

Saturday in Ithaca… shall we? 🗣️

I made the most of a day trip & chicken-scratched a lot at Battle by the Lake, so this is a two-parter. First stop is the upperclassmen.

A few of the Class of 2027-28 players that caught my eye and why, in 100 words or less… link in the comments (subscriber stuff) ⬇️

PLAYERS FEATURED INCLUDE:
2027: Sidney Anderson (📸1), Kylah Bednar (📸2), Sofia Falleti, Anna Moser (📸3), Synaa Waters
2028: Mila Bissett, Quinlan Blake, Gianna Buchiere, Sophia Frayne (📸4), Giana Hughey, Brooke Reddington