By JACOB POLACHECK
With four new offers in the last week, Angelo Brizzi is emerging as a strong talent in the Class of 2021.
Brizzi, a 6-foot-3, 170-pound point guard from Highland (VA), says that Villanova, Georgetown, Yale, Dartmouth and Old Dominion are the schools that have been in contact the most. He broke down each school:
Villanova: “It’s without a doubt one of the top programs in the country and the point guards they produce make it a very attractive situation.”
Georgetown: “Obviously, they have a strong history of the program. Coach [Patrick] Ewing is there and he’s a hall of famer and knows what he’s doing with basketball. They give the opportunity to come in, stay close to home and play in a great conference.”
Yale: “Obviously, Yale is a great Ivy League education and a really great program, top-50 in the country. It’s a complete fit.”
Dartmouth: “Along the same lines as Yale. The difference with basketball is that they’re pitching that I’d come in and try to take the program to the next level. They had a better year this year and they’re going to try and keep building it up. They told me that I could be a big part of taking that next step.”
Old Dominion: “Stay in-state, play for coach [Jeff] Jones, that’s the main pitch. They stay in touch a lot too.”
Brizzi has also been hearing from Davidson and Belmont, but they are yet to offer.
“Neither of them have offered yet, but they stay in touch all the time. They’re both along the same lines,” Brizzi said. “They’re both mid-majors that are extremely successful programs with extremely good guards. If you go there and work hard, you’ll have a great shot to play at the next level.”
Brizzi’s most recent offers have come from Georgetown and Villanova, but he has also received offers from Bucknell and UNC Wilmington within the last week. He broke down each school:
Bucknell: “It has a very strong history as a program and is obviously an extremely high-level academic school.”
UNC Wilmington: “I just began talking to Coach [Takayo] Siddle and Coach [Kurt] Kanaskie, but I’m excited to learn more about the program they have.”
Brizzi says he’s still hoping to make his decision in the fall, but his plans are largely dictated by the outcome of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’m going to see how this whole virus situation plays out, but the plan was to use the summer to see who’s interested and then start narrowing it down to make a decision in the fall of my senior year,” Brizzi said.
“I’m hoping that can still be the plan,” he said. “That’s the goal right now. We’re hoping this can all clear up before then. We’ll have to see, but it could change just based on how everything turns out.”
With a decision nearing, Brizzi broke down what he’s looking for in a school when deciding where to commit:
“A good basketball culture and the school being invested in the program,” he said. “A strong degree and just a good connection with the coaching staff, the campus and everyone around it.”
Brizzi is yet to take his official visits, but says he may be strategic with his visits by location.
“I’m going to see which schools want me to visit,” Brizzi said. “For example, when it comes to D.C. schools, since it’s only a 45 minute drive, I might not use an official for that. We have to see what schools want me to visit.”
On the court, Brizzi describes himself as a “scoring point guard”.
“I can shoot it off the dribble and off the catch from deep,” he said. “I’m willing to dive on the floor. I take charges. I do all the dirty stuff that others don’t want to do. I’m a great passer when things break down and I just want to win. That’s the main thing.”
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Brizzi has been practicing from home, working on improving every aspect of his game.
“I’d say the thing I need to improve most is my body, just getting stronger, more athletic, quicker, faster and keep putting on weight,” he said. “That will help with everything. That’s the base part of what I need to improve.”
However, when he’s not working on his game, Brizzi has another talent.
“I’m a nasty ping pong player,” he said. I legit think I’m a top ten player in the state of Virginia. So, if anyone wants to challenge me, I’ll be there.”
Photo: Randy Litzinger/Fauquier Times
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