For Central Connecticut State University freshman guard Ashton “Takeoff” Reynolds, the will to win has been at the core of becoming a Division I player. However, it was his school’s critical loss to Murray Bergtraum High School at the PSAL Championship in 2022, during his sophomore season playing for Transit Tech High School in the heart of East New York, Brooklyn, that set the foundation for the resilience, leadership, and toughness he exemplifies today.
“There were 11.5 seconds left on the clock and we were down 2 when we took the ball out. The play wasn’t originally designed for me,” said Reynolds, recalling the moment. ”My point guard brought the ball up, but the defense took away our shooter. He drove and kicked it to me in the left short corner. The first thing in my mind was just going up. There was no time to pass. I tried to take a quick floater; it bounced off the rim and came right back to me. I went back up, tried to use the backboard, and then I just watched the ball bounce around the rim before it fell out. In that moment, everything happened fast, but my mindset was simply to make a play for my team.”
The emotionally painful feeling that lingered from that loss sparked an even greater hunger in Reynolds. He continued to sharpen both his mind and body under the guidance of Coach Kenneth Hafford. The work in silence and consistency later led to Reynolds leaving a substantial mark on the program, finishing his high school basketball career by setting the school’s all-time scoring record with 1,627 points.
Reynolds’s success on the court continued. Wanting to give himself the opportunity to grow and develop to his full potential as a player, he made a calculated move to attend prep school at the Williston Northampton School in Easthampton, Mass., where he helped the program win the NEPSAC Class A Championship last year (their first title since 2016), finishing with a 25-1 record.
“Going the prep school route helped me a lot, both as a player and as a person,” Reynolds reflected. “On the court, it helped me define my role, understanding what I should be doing and how I can best help my team. Off the court, being in a new environment really helped calm me down. It was a different energy, more space, and more opportunity for me to lock in and fully focus on basketball and my growth.”
Today, Reynolds is beginning to find his footing in new surroundings at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU), a member of the Northeast Conference led by Coach Patrick Sellers. The Blue Devils are 10-7 overall and 4-2 in the conference going into tomorrow’s game versus Fairleigh Dickenson. They are second in the standings behind the Rod Strickland-coached LIU Sharks, which are 5-1 in conference games and 11-8 overall. The 6’4″ Ryenolds has seen action in 11 games, averaging 10. 8 minutes, posting five points per outing.
“I chose Central Connecticut State because I felt comfortable right away with the coaching staff and the players,” he said. “From the moment I got here, I felt like I didn’t need to go anywhere else. It felt like the right choice for me, both for basketball and for my personal growth. I think I’m settling into CCSU really well. I’m finding my space and my opportunities, and I’ve learned a lot so far, and I’m still learning every day. I get more comfortable with my teammates and coaches each day, and they really feel like family.”