Dhilan Lowman’s Arrival To Hotchkiss Basketball Is Right On Time

Few players in New England have spent more time perfecting a jump shot than Dhilan Lowman.

The 6-foot-5 guard helped Staples High School capture an FCIAC championship, built a reputation as one of Connecticut's premier shooters and now heads to defending NEPSAC Class A champion Hotchkiss School for the next chapter of his basketball career.

The Class of 2028 standout joins one of the nation's premier prep basketball programs after spending years refining his game under noted shooting instructor Mike Evans of Right Angle Shooting.

A Champion Reloads

Fresh off a NEPSAC Class A championship, Hotchkiss welcomes one of the nation's strongest incoming classes, including several nationally regarded prospects from around the country.

Lowman may not have traveled as far as some of his new teammates, but he arrives with one of the state's most polished offensive games.

Putting in the Work

Lowman has worked for years with Evans, a respected shooting instructor and former Connecticut all-state basketball player who went on to star Hamilton College and play professional. He has trained players from the NBA to the high school level.

“Two years ago, Dhilan made seven three-pointers in a varsity game in one of his first starts on a very good team,” Evans told High School On SI when asked what made Mr. Lowman a true student of the shooting game.

“I was getting text messages from parents in the crowd with each three-pointer he made. Then I received a text from Dhilan later that night – ‘Something didn’t feel right, can we work together soon?’. The guy pursues perfection like Dave Hopla taught me to do and like I try to get kids to do now. This upcoming season at Hotchkiss, I look forward to Dhilan becoming a ball-handling threat and using that newfound skill to create his own shots, while also maintaining his lethal ability to shoot the three.”

Recently, High School On SI caught up with Lowman for a Q&A. He talks about shooting philosophies, growing as a basketball player and shooter, balling in the Nike EYBL with the Renaissance United. He also discusses his decision to explore his athletic and academic options by making a new home for himself at The Hotchkiss School.

Q&A with Dhilan Lowman

You recently made the move from Staples High School to attending The Hotchkiss School. How long did you consider transferring and what are you most excited about with entering a new school and basketball program?

I first considered leaving at the end of my sophomore year. I was approached by a few schools about potentially going, and that's when I started learning about the NEPSAC and reclassing as a whole. But I knew how special of a year we were going to have at Staples, so I knew that I needed to stay for at least one more year. I am most excited to be competing with and against new people. I've really enjoyed playing with and getting to know my new teammates at Hotchkiss, and I'm looking forward to going to battle with them everyday. I also think that playing in the NEPSAC will be a new challenge for me and being outside of my comfort zone on and off the court will help me develop as a human being in so many ways. I loved every second that I spent at Staples and the three years that I was there are super important to me. I wouldn't be half the person I am today without the coaches and teammates that I had there.

The NEPSAC Live Period schedule has been announced and tends to draw college coaches from all over the country. As someone who is considered a prep basketball prospect, what does it mean to you to play in front of college coaches and go through that evaluation process?

I'm definitely very excited for the showcase. Having the opportunity to play against elite competition in front of so many coaches is what you dream of doing as a kid. This event is also a part of what makes the NEPSAC very special. I've played in a few live periods before, but nothing like this, so I am excited to get to play in front of so many coaches. This first showcase will give me an opportunity to also learn how my teammates play and what it will take for us to win the NEPSAC again at Hotchkiss. Showcases are very different, so the success or failure that I/we will go through will be very beneficial.

Along with you, Hotchkiss also added a variety of talent from around the country including fellow guard Lincoln Razi ('27) from Washington DC. What have been your impressions of Lincoln so far and how do you think you guys will compliment each other on the court?

Lincoln and I have been getting to know each other for the past few weeks and I think that we are going to gel very well together. Getting to become friends off the court before playing has helped us connect better on the court. I think that his communication, vision and leadership will complement my game, and the rest of our team really well. It will take us some time to translate our bond off the court into something similar on the court, but I'm very excited to see what it can become.

In addition to Hotchkiss you’ve also shined on the court in the Nike EYBL Champions Circuit. How has your time spent developing with Renaissance United made you smarter and a better player?

In my time with Rens United, I have been pushed to be more than just a shooter, and to use my shooting ability to free up opportunities for the rest of my game. I would get benched for being too one dimensional, so it forced me to evolve and grow. Constant repetitions of working on reads and different scenarios have helped me develop those other aspects. The games are also very fast paced, which is different from high school games, so getting that contrast of style has helped a lot too. Rens and Staples have also helped me become a much better defender. When I was a freshman, a closed up folding chair could play better defense than I could.

When did focusing on your shooting mechanics become a priority to grow your game?

Shooting has been important to me since I was very young. Stephen Curry is my favorite player and who inspired me to start playing basketball in the first place. When a family friend introduced me to Mike (Evans), I knew that he could help me turn into the shooter I always dreamed of being. That was in fourth grade, and ever since then, shooting has been the base of my game and a priority for me and my development.

What have you learned the most about working with a shooting coach?

Outside of the mechanics that I've been taught, I think that understanding no matter how much you practice your form and shot, inside of a game you won't ever be able to line up or get set the way you want to. So it's all about the comfort and feel that you create within those drills and reps. Because those feelings are things you will always be able to replicate and match in a game.

Mike helped me build the fundamentals for a great shot, but he also really instilled a work ethic in me. After my first session with him, he had motivated me to go to the gym every morning to work on my shot. Thankfully, my parents were generous enough to take me so early, and ever since then, working out in the morning has been a consistent part of weekly routines.

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