They make it all seem so easy. They make it seem as if anyone get can do it. They make every parent think it’s a walk in the park. The fact of the matter is, it’s anything but that. Trying to run down a dream takes work and more work. Then it takes someone to notice that work which has produced in this case a D1 player. Not just any D1 player but rather an impact D1 player That’s exactly what MARIST COLLEGE got yesterday , when CHLOE ESCANILLAS verbally committed to the MAAC POWERHOUSE.
I have known Chloe Escanillas for years. She has always been a bright kid. I guess her 4.3 GPA in honor classes explains that. Here mother Maria Santiago and stepdad Micheal Santiago are people who don’t have a lot to say. Her dad Noel Escanillas and stepmom Angela Escanillas all make for a wonderful family and support system They don’t complain about playing time, shots or get involved in their daughter’s athletic decisions made by her coaches and trainers. But what they are is supportive and loving. It may be the reason why CHLOE is so able to adjust to any environment. That includes the one at RUTGERS PREP. Yes, that Rutgers Prep, the one that has produced too many D1 player to count just in her time alone at the school. The same school that has the best player in the state; Makayla Blakes plays for. Rutgers Prep is known for three things, 1. Having great student athletes, I don’t think there is a team in the state and maybe the country with kids with a better team GPA. 2. There also known for winning lots of games and championships on big stages. Then finally all the Division One talent. It can be real easy to get lost at Rutgers Prep. Chloe Escanillas has played with and against the best of the best. She also at times has been swallowed up by all the talent around her. Yet it never has effected or stopped her from chasing her dreams and goals both on and off the court.
When you play at Rutgers Prep there is not a lot of shots to go around when you name is CHLOE. The hype machine is not in full overdrive for you. Everything you get is a grind. You don’t get to pad your stats or get those extra minutes in blow out games. Nobody is pushing you for the post season awards. You don’t find you name in the newspaper or in blogs. The narrative is not about you at Rutgers Prep when you name is Chloe Escanillas. And that seems to be fine by Chole because nobody has continued grinding like Chloe Escanillas over the years. Others may get more hype and more love but when it comes to producing, she is a bread winner in a big way. That’s because she has been doing all the dirty work at RUTGERS PREP. She has been more concerned with winning that stats. Making good decisions, not hype. But more than anything else Chloe has been working on getting better and that’s what she has done every year at RUTGERS PREP. I have watched it all from a distance with a big smile… I CALL IT GAME OVER HYPE👍
I’ve watched Chloe evolve over the years. I remember when she was younger and showed up at NBS wearing goggles that were bigger than her entire body. It was cute but what wasn’t cute was her competitive nature which was off the charts. That same competitive nature which has got her to where she is today. So when a D1 coach asked me to invite her to NBS, I had no problem . I never invite a player to NBS, either you come or you don’t. But this was different, the coach really needed to know how good Chloe was, she wanted to see her against the killers. So Chloe came to NBS and absolutely destroyed everything in her path. She crushed kids committed to D1 , kids with offers too D1. In fact she didn’t seem to care if you were blind, cripple or crazy. If you had to play against Chloe you were in deep trouble. She did this everyday with either her mother or dad in the stands, enjoying the show. They said exactly “ZERO WORDS” the entire week. How about that, parents who are not a pain in the ass. Parents who are not trying to control the environment to fit their child. Parents giving their child that quite beautiful support. Marist is also getting 4 rock star parents, their staff is beyond lucky. Finding good players and better parents as any coach will tell you is like looking for big foot these days. There was no doubt in my mind that Chloe Escanillas was the most under recruited ‘24 guard maybe in the state of New Jersey💫
”She is better than every guard in your program, right now ”…. Tiny Green to a PATRIOT LEAGUE HEAD COACH AT ACADEMIC ELITE
This summer during the Live Period, Chloe simply was one of the best guards on the circuit. Maybe she wanted to honor her late trainer, mentor and coach Rich Leary. Maybe she wanted to prove she was a go to player, a big baller, shot caller. Maybe she was just tired of other hyped up players getting more credit than her. Who knows but Chloe dropped 37 points on the first night of the live period. That evening a coach called me and said these exact words
“Dam we messed up Chloe is the best guard, I have seen all spring or summer”..D1 assistant Coach
I laughed and said you’re going to be in a dog fight now for her signature. The rest of the live period, Chloe continued to dominate everyone. She also starting picking up scholarships the old fashion way… “SHE EARNED IT”
Then another D1 HEAD COACH said this to me
“Tiny, I can’t believe it. She is going to Marist. I almost stole that kid. She could start for Marist as a freshman”….. D1 Head Coach
That coach is right because Chole Escanillas, is the real deal. She has got to this point by working hard. She didn’t need phony hype, phony stats and media love. She was never crowned by anyone. But today Chloe is covered in “DAISIES” She has fulfilled her dream by playing the game the right way. But what’s even better is that she did it without begging for attention but rather earning the attention of coaches. You see good kids with talent, who are drama free, with great parents always bring real game to the table and always win in the end…in the case of CHLOE ESCANILLAS she had scholarships falling out her pockets… but the only one that mattered in the end was the one from MARIST.
CONGRATS TO CHLOE AND HER BEAUTIFUL FAMILY THAT STOOD BY HER EVERY STEP OF THE WAY💪💕☄️🙏
CHLOE ESCANILLAS OFFICIAL VIDEO; COVERED IN DAISIES!