Printer Friendly Version - Palluzzi Transferring to Choate to Continue Basketball Career

Combo Guard Enjoyed Two Stellar Seasons with the Hornets

On the heels of two stellar seasons with the Branford boys’ basketball team, Jake Palluzzi is taking his talents to Choate Rosemary Hall to continue his hoops career at the college-prep school. Photo courtesy of Jake Palluzzi

Jake Palluzzi averaged 27 points per game for Branford boys’ hoops as a sophomore, helping the Hornets claim 19 victories while making it to the state quarterfinals. Photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Sound

Jake Palluzzi used his scoring touch to garner All-Conference accolades in each of his two seasons as a member of the Branford boys’ basketball squad. Photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Sound

After growing as a leader at Branford, Jake Palluzzi wants to take his leadership skills to the next level as he suits up for the boys’ basketball team at Choate later this year. Photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Sound

After playing for the Branford High School boys’ basketball team for two seasons, Jake Palluzzi is transferring to Choate Rosemary Hall to continue his career on the hardwood. Palluzzi said that his time with the Hornets taught him how to be more of a leader and feels confident that the lessons he learned in Branford will stay with him throughout his entire basketball career.

For the past two years, Palluzzi has played for an AAU basketball program called Project Triple Threat. The team is coached by Drew Dawson, who is also the head coach of the boys’ basketball team at Choate, a college-prep boarding school in Wallingford. Dawson was impressed by Palluzzi’s performance during his sophomore season this winter and offered him an opportunity to play at Choate. After discussing his decision with his family for about a month, Palluzzi decided it would be best for his basketball career to play for Choate beginning with his upcoming campaign, in which he will reclassify as a sophomore.

“It means the world to me. It’s an opportunity you can’t turn down,” Palluzzi said. “I think it’s something that will better my future as a person and as a player.”

Along with his work on the AAU circuit, Palluzzi put together two stellar seasons as a member of the Branford boys’ basketball team. Playing a combo guard role, Palluzzi averaged 23 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game on his way to making the All-SCC First Team as a sophomore, marking his second-straight All-Conference nod. He led the Hornets to a record of 19-5 and an appearance in the Division IV State Tournament quarterfinals this year.

Palluzzi said that he was ready for anything heading into each contest with Branford. He always put in the extra work to ensure that he could handle any opponent he was up against.

“I spent a lot of time in the gym and in the weight room. I just played the game a lot. I was prepared to go up against anyone,” said Palluzzi. “I knew teams would be focused on me a lot. I just wanted to do everything I could to help the team win.”

Palluzzi started preparing to be a strong basketball player at a very young age. Palluzzi’s father, Jake Palluzzi, served as the head coach of the Branford boys’ basketball team for 29 seasons. Palluzzi spent a lot of time at his father’s practices, shooting hoops and taking in everything that his dad had to say as he taught the Hornets. He would even take part in Branford’s layup lines during pregame warmups.

Palluzzi started playing competitively in 2nd grade. When he wasn’t playing, he was either watching basketball or talking about it with friends and family. By always being around the basketball court, Palluzzi’s love for the game took off as he realized that he could have quite a future in the sport.

“In the winter, I was always at my dad’s practices 24/7. I was in the gym listening and watching what he had to say,” Palluzzi said. “I would go to his games and shoot in the layup lines with the team. My family would talk about it, my friends would talk about it, I’d watch it on TV. Everywhere I went, there was basketball.”

During the past two years, Palluzzi has been developing his skills as a member of the Branford boys’ basketball squad. He was a varsity starter in both his freshman and sophomore seasons.

While he’s always had a knack for scoring, Palluzzi feels that his biggest growth with the Hornets was as a leader. He would have served as one of Branford’s captains in his junior year. Palluzzi understood that needed to be more vocal while holding a leadership role, regardless of what team he was playing for. Palluzzi knew that he could impact the game with the ball in his hands, but became more focused on leading his team and making sure that everyone played together as a unit.

“I really grew as a leader. I wasn’t as focused on myself. I was more focused on how to lead this group of guys,” said Palluzzi. “Being named captain, I knew I had to grow more as a vocal leader for my team.”

While growing as a leader, Palluzzi continued to make game-changing plays for the Hornets. Whether it’s shooting or passing, when the game comes down to the wire, Palluzzi knows what to when he gets the ball and is always ready to put his team in a position to win.

As he enters his first year at Choate, Palluzzi’s biggest goal is to become a more well-rounded basketball player. In his recent workouts, he’s been focusing on doing point guard drills. Already established as a prolific scorer, Palluzzi wants to do more ball-handling and become an even bigger force on the offensive end of the floor.

No matter where he’s suiting up this year, Palluzzi feels glad to simply be playing basketball. Palluzzi is moving on to Choate in an effort to better his basketball career. As he begins a new chapter, Palluzzi is hoping to continue his career on the court for as long as possible.

“I want to go as far as I could and play for as long as I can. There’s no other plan B or anything,” Palluzzi said. “It’s something I really love to do, and I want to take the game as far as it will let me take it.”