Class of 2026 CG Ryan Moesch (NY) COMMITTED TO SYRACUSE (4/14/26)

[Orangezoo]

There is a video of him dunking in high school. It was off a lob and it was an alley oop

It’s true and wasn’t the only time. He dunked quite a few times including against us when we played BH.

 

[PeteCalvin]

Well, most of that would also describe GMac.

Except - Ryan can dunk.
With ease.

Not sure Gerry could even grab the rim.

So - I’d rate him as “more athletic” than GMac.

How much so?
We shall see.

GMac could put it down with two hands his freshman year. Just didn’t do it in a game.

 

[SaltineW]

Besides Gerry, 2 other guys come to mind. How does he compare to Mac McClung and going farther back, Teddy Dupay at Florida?

I know McClung personally, through work. He is was & is still, extremely athletic. As in 3xSlamDunkChamp NBA. His range on his jumper is also extreme. His basketball IQ is also next level. Not big physically, but at 6'2 he's two or three inches taller than Moesch. McClung was an explosive player. As for Teddy Dupay, I can't really speak to him in terms of comparing to Moesch, but one thing I can say is that in terms of McClung's athleticism, there areally aren't any SU player comps I can conjur up.

The closest might be:
- In terms of raw athleticism? Possibly Mike Hopkins. He was a good leaper but he was also 6'5"
- In terms of raw explosiveness? Maybe Stevie Thompson.
- Devo was pretty athletic in his own right, perhaps he belongs in this conversation? Maybe Waiters does too, dunno.

If I had to compare Moesch to a former SU player, it might be Hal Cohen actually.

Remembering back to when McClung destroyed Syracuse in 2019, when he was with the Hoyas - SU fans saw first had that he was a very complete player. He could shoot, pass and finish above the rim. Moesch is not remotely like McClung. What Moesch does is find people and create baskets for others. He seems to protect the ball well too. Think of Moesch as a winning PG and above all - a work in progress. Moesch is athletic, but his name will never be used in the same sentence as McClung's.

What Moesch needs to work on is to get his release point higher on the jumper. It's a push shot right now. He gets away with it because he takes a quick lateral step, almost always to his left, before releasing. This gives him space to get the push shot off - opposed to simply shooting over people with a higher release. He's not strong enough yet, to shoot with a higher release.

Speaking of high releases, McClung's jumper was sweet. He could shoot it right in an opposing players face - thanks to his elevation the high release and the nearly instant trigger. GMAC's jumper was sweet, he had a very fast trigger also, which compensated for the fact he couldn't elevate on the shot. Due to GMAC's range, he got space that way - Logo style. Buddy had a gorgeous jumper, but his height and again, superior range made up for the lack of ability to elevate on the shot.

Shorter players have to find a way to get some space as they shoot, so once they're strong enough, a high release really helps them.

 

[SaltineW]

It’s true and wasn’t the only time. He dunked quite a few times including against us when we played BH.

He was quite a bit lighter then too, might have helped him get up an extra inch or two.

 

[Tony DeFranco]

Hopefully we have a lot of games where we are up 20 and everybody gets to play point guard in garbage time.

I the meantime, I hope we have an actual point guard and backup.

I hope I am wrong but I think we have our PG - that's what Ive been told - I also think Ryan is the most underrated player in high school - Cushing plays everyone and my buddy said Ryan was always the best basketball player on the court in terms of play - from Rippey to Tillery - I dont know where the athletic questioning is coming from - he's very fast, cat quick sideways and has a vertical just shy Williams Kyle - he is small - 5"10' and 165 - to expect any freshman to come in and start day one at PG seems unrealistic unless he is a top 15 recruit

 

[Zelda Zonk]

GMac could put it down with two hands his freshman year. Just didn’t do it in a game.

That sounds like one of those Wade Boggs stories: he could have hit 40 homers a year. Instead, he chose to hit .330 on singles.

 

[RF2044]

I didn't relaize Moesch was a lefty.

INTERESTING...

 

[donniesyracuse]

no. that's why gerry signed him.

How dare he ask for other opinions?

 

[pearl31]

Thanks Karen! A post about negative threads before there is or possibly even would be, negative threads.

lol right

 

[DilemaCuse]

I know McClung personally, through work. He is was & is still, extremely athletic. As in 3xSlamDunkChamp NBA. His range on his jumper is also extreme. His basketball IQ is also next level. Not big physically, but at 6'2 he's two or three inches taller than Moesch. McClung was an explosive player. As for Teddy Dupay, I can't really speak to him in terms of comparing to Moesch, but one thing I can say is that in terms of McClung's athleticism, there areally aren't any SU player comps I can conjur up.

The closest might be:
- In terms of raw athleticism? Possibly Mike Hopkins. He was a good leaper but he was also 6'5"
- In terms of raw explosiveness? Maybe Stevie Thompson.
- Devo was pretty athletic in his own right, perhaps he belongs in this conversation? Maybe Waiters does too, dunno.

If I had to compare Moesch to a former SU player, it might be Hal Cohen actually.

Remembering back to when McClung destroyed Syracuse in 2019, when he was with the Hoyas - SU fans saw first had that he was a very complete player. He could shoot, pass and finish above the rim. Moesch is not remotely like McClung. What Moesch does is find people and create baskets for others. He seems to protect the ball well too. Think of Moesch as a winning PG and above all - a work in progress. Moesch is athletic, but his name will never be used in the same sentence as McClung's.

What Moesch needs to work on is to get his release point higher on the jumper. It's a push shot right now. He gets away with it because he takes a quick lateral step, almost always to his left, before releasing. This gives him space to get the push shot off - opposed to simply shooting over people with a higher release. He's not strong enough yet, to shoot with a higher release.

Speaking of high releases, McClung's jumper was sweet. He could shoot it right in an opposing players face - thanks to his elevation the high release and the nearly instant trigger. GMAC's jumper was sweet, he had a very fast trigger also, which compensated for the fact he couldn't elevate on the shot. Due to GMAC's range, he got space that way - Logo style. Buddy had a gorgeous jumper, but his height and again, superior range made up for the lack of ability to elevate on the shot.

Shorter players have to find a way to get some space as they shoot, so once they're strong enough, a high release really helps them.

Through work? Isn't he still playing in the Gleague amd the NBA? Im guguessing you work in the bball industry. I didn't think Mac was even that tall. I remember being impressed by him.
Unfortunately Hal was before my time. im curious if Ryan can make the transition to this level, we will see.

 

[Ottoman]

I totally get that I'm being the cynical one in the thread. But the words "hopefully earn some playing time in future years" strikes me as a Symir Torrence/Howard Washington-level talent, which we need better then if we want to reverse this 12-year descent.

I'll be rooting for this kid big-time from Day 1. But it seems like a gamble to me.

I agree - but our problem has not been players like Symir Torrence, who by all accounts worked hard and was a good member of the SU community. Our problem was a coaching staff and administration that stopped pushing more than a decade ago.

I think this is a new era, where you can have bench players that are disgruntled former AAU superstars, or you can have bench players who don't mind working hard and contributing to the team in practice for a couple of years. I think Gerry is looking for the second type.

 

[kuethstheman]

Why the delay?

GMac held him off until after announcing Tobiason! He probably did it so fewer SyracuseFans would commit suicide, thinking he was only going after crappy players.

 

[BillSU]

COMMITTED!!!!

The Syracuse Orange picked up a commitment from four-star point guard Ryan Moesch, who hails from Chittenango.
Moesch was orginially signed to play for Siena, but he’ll follow the Orange Brick Road to the JMA Dome to play for Gerry McNamara. Moesch has played the last two seasons at Cushing Academy. He was rated a 4-star and considered the 15th best point guard in the class by 247 Sports.

​

The 6’ lefty had chosen Siena over Providence in his initial commitment and now he’ll return to play just a short distance away from his Madison County hometown. His prep school coach described him as resembling the college coach he committed to play for:

“He’s got a little Gerry to him,” said James Cormier, who has coached Moesch the past two seasons at Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, Massachusetts. “He’s 6 feet tall and 170 pounds and long, floppy hair. He doesn’t necessarily look the part. ... (But) whoever you put in front of him he’s better than.”

Syracuse now has two incoming freshmen coming in this summer, so we’ll see what the Orange can add from the transfer portal as McNamara builds his roster for next season.

Syracuse men’s basketball: PG Ryan Moesch commits to the Orange

A former Section3 standout commits to the Orange

www.nunesmagician.com

 

[SaltineW]

Now that Moesch has comitted to SU, which I'm very pleased to see has happened btw, I'll add three things to this thread that I haven't said.
1. He's going to be a very good college PG when its all said and done. I hope he finishes he college career at SU and I hope he's able to develop well under GMAC - seems like as great a coach-player pairing as there ever was, though I'm sure there have been many other great ones.
2. He's got to learn to stay in front of quicker guards. His inability to do that will affect his playing time and this is not a huge knock. A lot of first year high school players can't stay in front of the person they're guarding. But, for the PG, this is a key necessity. Right now, Moesch is too small and too weak to fight through D-1 screens and he's going to struggle to keep people in front of him. Bully-Ball is a part of D-1 hoops. Moesch will struggle with this until he gets stronger. Take a picture of Gavin Doty's biceps and compare it to those of Moesch. Nuff said on this point. It's perfectly normal to have to physically mature to adjust to the college game, but make no misake, Moesch will need to do this to gain PT.
3. He needs a ton of work on his jump shot. In HS, he got away with a lot of things that D-1 ball doesn't allow to happen. Also, when he dirves into the lane, he's going to struggle to finish. This will be a big issue that can only be solved in the weight room. Lastly, he needs to stay on his feet more on defense. He jumps right out of plays in progress. He needs to stay low and when bigger players bring the ball down, he needs to make them pay by knocking it loose.

Moesch is GMAC's project. It's a noble one. It will be fun to watch. But don't expect much out of the gate. Give Moesch time to make the adjustment. That's my take.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I know McClung personally, through work. He is was & is still, extremely athletic. As in 3xSlamDunkChamp NBA. His range on his jumper is also extreme. His basketball IQ is also next level. Not big physically, but at 6'2 he's two or three inches taller than Moesch. McClung was an explosive player. As for Teddy Dupay, I can't really speak to him in terms of comparing to Moesch, but one thing I can say is that in terms of McClung's athleticism, there areally aren't any SU player comps I can conjur up.

The closest might be:
- In terms of raw athleticism? Possibly Mike Hopkins. He was a good leaper but he was also 6'5"
- In terms of raw explosiveness? Maybe Stevie Thompson.
- Devo was pretty athletic in his own right, perhaps he belongs in this conversation? Maybe Waiters does too, dunno.

If I had to compare Moesch to a former SU player, it might be Hal Cohen actually.

Remembering back to when McClung destroyed Syracuse in 2019, when he was with the Hoyas - SU fans saw first had that he was a very complete player. He could shoot, pass and finish above the rim. Moesch is not remotely like McClung. What Moesch does is find people and create baskets for others. He seems to protect the ball well too. Think of Moesch as a winning PG and above all - a work in progress. Moesch is athletic, but his name will never be used in the same sentence as McClung's.

What Moesch needs to work on is to get his release point higher on the jumper. It's a push shot right now. He gets away with it because he takes a quick lateral step, almost always to his left, before releasing. This gives him space to get the push shot off - opposed to simply shooting over people with a higher release. He's not strong enough yet, to shoot with a higher release.

Speaking of high releases, McClung's jumper was sweet. He could shoot it right in an opposing players face - thanks to his elevation the high release and the nearly instant trigger. GMAC's jumper was sweet, he had a very fast trigger also, which compensated for the fact he couldn't elevate on the shot. Due to GMAC's range, he got space that way - Logo style. Buddy had a gorgeous jumper, but his height and again, superior range made up for the lack of ability to elevate on the shot.

Shorter players have to find a way to get some space as they shoot, so once they're strong enough, a high release really helps them.

I never heard anyone say Mike Hopkins was athletic. Dave Johnson was probably the most athletic guy I saw at SU. Herm Harried as well.

 

[Dinkyspond]

His size is probably why his offer list isn't very impressive. He's going to have to be one of those underrated, under-the-radar guys.
Ryan Moesch Recruit Interests Ryan Moesch Recruit Interests

His only high major offers were Providence and Syracuse, although Pepperdine and Bradley are pretty solid offers.

 

[FloridaCuse]

 

[Marroniac]

GMac could put it down with two hands his freshman year. Just didn’t do it in a game.

He dunked once as an Orangeman (it was borderline). I know this because it won me a $50 bet.

 

[81South]

For someone who people say is not a good athlete, he backdoored dunked on Rippey. That’s someone who’s under 6’0”.

I said he is not an ELITE athlete. Big difference

 

[bnoro]

I'm good to see him play the non-conference this year before we tighten up the rotation to see what we got.

 

[Cusefan0307]

For someone who people say is not a good athlete, he backdoored dunked on Rippey. That’s someone who’s under 6’0”.

Very interested to see if Duke gives Rippey the keys. I wanted him, but a sure thing he is not as a freshman.

 

[qdawgg]

I heard there was a video of him reverse-dunking off a half-court lob over Shaq and Bigfoot.

There’s gotta be a good gif to go with this somewhere

 

[81South]

I had thought Ryan would benefit from a year or two at a mid major to add some muscle and gain experience. I do believe he can succeed here but it’s def going to take a few years. He is a great kid and I wish him all the best. Def a fan of his. His older brother plays at Hobart.

 

[rrlbees]

we can have 15 scholarship players. we aren't going to have 15 players vying for a starting role or even rotation mins. ryan is intriguing enough to give it a shot.

 

[SUbear]

A true hooper! He will be good in time. Hal Cohen v 2.0

This kid is nothing like Hal Cohen, unless you mean slightly bin looks.