OUR TEAM

​​​​
 

Elite Hoop Group Co-founders, Mario Lugo and Dino Aguado, have a relationship and friendship that is as genuine as they come.  Dino Aguado has impacted the lives of many youth in the state of Connecticut and in his native Colombia through his involvement as a coach and mentor.  Dating back to 1997, Dino was Mario's high school basketball and AAU basketball coach and continues to serves as his mentor.  Their relationship is a prime example of Dino's commitment to shaping and developing his players on and off the court.  Their relationship serves as reminder that people and their communities benefit tremendously when passionate and positive figures are involved in the lives of those they touch.  Mario Lugo has received a quality education and great basketball experience from great schools such as The Watkinson School and Bates College thanks in part to Coach Dino's positive influence.   Once again basketball has united them to make an even stronger impact in their communities.  They are extremely excited to begin their mission together to impact even more lives and make Elite Hoop Group the leader in developing top talent and future leaders.  

Mario Lugo has played with and been tutored by many great basketball players and coaches.  He is very grateful of the opportunities and valuable lessons that he has learned through the game of basketball.  As a result of hard work, strong guidance, and discipline he has accomplished success on and off the court.  He was a 4 year starter on the Varsity Basketball team at The Watkinson School where he became the school’s first 1,000 point scorer during his Junior Season and also served as a 3 year captain. He also played NCAA basketball and graduated from Bates College which is a highly selective, private liberal arts college located in Lewiston, Maine, in the United States, and was most recently ranked 21st in the 2011 US News Best Liberal Arts Colleges rankings.  ​Through Elite Hoop Group, Mario looks to serve as a positive role model and example for youth that love basketball while teaching valuable lessons to maximize their potential on and off the court.  

 

Mario is currently employed by the non-profit organization Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) at the John J. Polaris Clinical Day School as an Associate Instructor and Parent Engagment Specialist where he works with children and adolescents with learning disabilities and emotional, behavioral and/or psychiatric problems. He also is the Women's Assistant Basketball Coach at University of St. Joseph (Connecticut).

  Justin Williams began to play basketball in the 2nd grade under the coaching of Dino Aguado.  Throughout middle school and junior high school, Dino emphasized to Justin and his teammates, the importance of fundamentals and persistence.  Justin was a participant and later counselor at Dino's Hoop Magic Basketball Camp in Hartford, CT.  He also worked alongside Dino as a camp counselor at Dan Doyle's K.O. Skills Camp in West Hartford, CT.  Justin played high school basketball at the varsity level at Northwest Catholic High School. He played college basketball at Suffolk University in Boston, MA. and concluded his collegiate career at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, CT. He graduated with a bachelor in Child Psychology.  Justin continued to learn from Dino as his assistant coach for CT Northstars A.A.U. Justin is currently employed by the Department of Children and Families of CT working with youth in a residential facility.​​

​​​​​​​ Dino Aguado is employed by the City of Hartford Board of Education as the Girl’s Varsity Basketball, Soccer and Tennis coach at Bulkeley High School. He has also served as Boy’s Varsity Basketball Coach at The Watkinson School where he coached them to the 1997 NEPSAC New England Championship and multiple conference and league championships.  He has an excellent reputation in New England with over 25 years of experience in developing the skills of young basketball players. Many of his former players have played at competitive and academically challenging high schools and colleges which include: Clemson, UCONN, University of Southern Alabama, Manhattan College, Central Connecticut State University, University of Harford, Sacred Heart, Clark University, Bates College, St. Michael’s College, Elms College, University of Rhode Island, St. Peter’s College, Emmanuelle, and Plymouth State University.  Through Elite Hoop Group, Dino’s vision is to continue to spread his love for the game while developing strong student-athletes.  ​