3rd - 8th Grade Tryouts
Feb 19 & 20
6-8pm
Make-up Tryouts TBD
HS Tryouts
March 23 & 25
6-8pm
Tryout Location (All Tryouts)
Hopkins School - 986 Forest Rd, New Haven, CT 06515 19 & 20
Overview
Hi everyone,
Coach Dennis Kelly here...
I hope you’ve all had a fantastic off-season! As we gear up for the new AAU season, I wanted to share how excited we are to get back on the court with the same dedication to high-quality training and a true growth mindset.
Our AAU teams are focused on one thing above all: delivering the best team training in Connecticut. From elite coaching to cutting-edge practice plans, every drill and scrimmage is designed with one goal in mind: making you a smarter, stronger, more confident player.
Here is what to expect:
- Consistent, top-tier practices that challenge you to improve every day
- A focus on developing both skills and basketball IQ—mistakes are just opportunities to learn
- Continued participation in local tournaments to keep travel light and competition strong
- New drills, conditioning routines, and team-building exercises designed to push us beyond our current limits
We believe staying local for our events helps maintain balance in your lives—school, family, friends—while still giving us consistent, meaningful competition. We’re committed to finding any area where we can raise our game: logistics, communication, strategy, and individual player development.Let’s bring the same energy, commitment, and positivity we’ve always had.
Together, we’ll work hard, learn from one another, and make this our best season yet.
See you on the court!
Previous Coaching staff
Jeff Bernardi
Head coach at St. Joseph High school Trumbull
🏆 ECC D1 Conference Champions – 2022
🏆 ECC D1 Regular Season Champions – 2018 & 2019
🏆 NCAA D3 Hamilton College Player
🏆 Developed and Coached CHSCA Player of Year for the State of CT - 2019
Brian Johnson
NEPSAC Class C Coach of the Year while leading Hamden Hall to a championship. As the associate head coach at Binghamton University, he helped the team achieve its highest win total in 15 years during the 2023-24 season.
(Pictured – Jeff Bernardi)
Kyle Casey
Best known for his collegiate basketball career at Harvard University, where he was a key player and helped lead the team to multiple Ivy League championships. He later pursued a professional career, playing in the NBA G League and overseas.
John Kelly
John Kelly, a 6'8" forward from Shelton, Connecticut, played for Fairfield University, UMass Amherst, and Assumption University during his collegiate career. He earned accolades in high school, including First Team All-NEPSAC, and is now coaching and mentoring younger athletes.
(Pictured – Kyle Casey)
Jackson Meshanic
Professionally averaging 29.1 points and 12.8 rebounds per game in career at BBC Schieren in Luxembourg. Jackson Meshanic, a standout forward from Columbia, Connecticut, had an impressive start at Hobart College, leading the team in scoring and rebounding while earning multiple Liberty League Performer of the Week honors.
Tanner Thomas
A pivotal player for Sacred Heart University's men's basketball team. In the 2023-24 season, he averaged 10.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game before an injury sidelined him; returning strong in 2024-25, he earned MAAC Player of the Week honors on November 25, 2024, and has been instrumental in leading the Pioneers following their transition from the Northeast Conference to the MAAC
(Pictured – Tanner Thomas)
Elijah Pemberton
Elijah Pemberton, from Middletown, CT, was a standout at Hofstra University, finishing ninth all-time in scoring with 1,982 points in program history and earning multiple All-CAA honors. He has since played professionally in the NBA G League Santa Cruz Warriors and internationally in Belgium, Canada, Israel, and Turkey.
Trayon Rumley
Starred at Maloney High School ranking among the top scorers nationally, and earning multiple "Player of the Game" awards. He played at Jamestown Community College, the University of Bridgeport, and the University of Hartford.
Isiah Gaiter
Isiah Gaiter, a guard from Meriden, Connecticut, played at Assumption University, earning NE10 Player of the Week honors in 2023. He transferred to South Alabama, averaging 12.5 points per game before signing with Brightside Sports to pursue a professional basketball career.
Program Details
Schedules, Dates & More... For more information email Dennis Kelly at DribbleDriveBasketball@gmail.com
Sign up with the link below to stay updated as we release tryout dates and more in the coming days!