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

[baggerbob]

This sure looks like a program guy to me - he does not look ready to play in the ACC right now. But he will probably practice hard and hopefully earn some playing time in future years. Nothing wrong with that at all.

If a freshman point guard is playing a lot of minutes we probably are in big trouble.

 

[IthacaMatt]

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

Best case, he might be able to handle the ball a bit, and give us some offense for a 4 minute rotation. That would be fine.

 

[Red Holzman]

I like this signing -and will be rooting for this kid.
Naysayers will motivate him even more.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

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

Would you settle for Marty Headd?

 

[MamesJungro]

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

Ryan wasn’t doing anything close to what Mac did in HS

 

[721Comstock]

If a freshman point guard is playing a lot of minutes we probably are in big trouble.

GMac & Billy Edelin might beg to differ.

 

[OrangeTarheel]

I rarely ever watch tape on recruits but this thread was contentious enough that I watched some last night. Great body control. Nose for the basket. Not afraid of contact. Focused.

I’m no analyst so that’s casual fan type commentary but a team of players in this mold is going to cause a lot of headaches for opposing teams and be fun to watch.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I love people who haven’t regularly watched the kid compete pontificating that he can’t play at this level. In his short HC stint, I think Gerry demonstrated the ability to identify undervalued players.

 

[Gotothehole]

If a freshman point guard is playing a lot of minutes we probably are in big trouble.

So he beat Rippey when they matched up. You think if Rippey came here he was not going to start?

 

[Cusefan0307]

Ryan wasn’t doing anything close to what Mac did in HS

No offense to Mac, but Moesch played much tougher competition and has totally different strengths that Mac. Mac was an undersized shooting guard.

 

[Irishsecra1]

GMac & Billy Edelin might beg to differ.

I adored Billy Edelin. Broke my heart the off court issues he had to deal with.
Never met him but heard he was really a very nice young man.

 

[RedtheGOB]

If a freshman point guard is playing a lot of minutes we probably are in big trouble.

This post is so funny to me because in the other thread on Mingo its the opposite comments, if we get 6'0 170 freshman 5 star Mingo from UNC then we're going to be a preseason top 25 team.

 

[alphaorange]

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.

Gerry caught and dunked an oop in HS. He could jump.

 

[Niastri]

GMac & Billy Edelin might beg to differ.

It's a common thing to use the exception to the rule as a way of defining the rule.

Any of us could name two dozen forgettable freshman that went on to have good careers. Point guards included.

Ennis was our last freshman to run point well for us.

So... 3 examples of good freshman point guard play since the national championship?

In something of a tangent; One thing we haven't done well the last 15 years is recruit PG, from any source. Even going back to Gbinije playing out of position in 14-15, when we just decided to play without a point guard, we have been a desert of good point guard play.

We had some very good rosters that were submarined by average at best point guards. For instance, Gillon had his moments, but led a team with 8 top100 RSCI rated recruits (including two guys who played in the NBA) to a 19-15 record.

Girard, who got more ink here than virtually any player ever, played for us 4 years. He was notable for his shooting, point guard size and no point guard skills.

I thought George would be an oasis, but who knows exactly what went wrong with that situation.

I seriously doubt Moesch is the solution to the point guard problem, especially after watching much higher rated PG come out of high school and bomb or underperform just last season.

I will be very happy if he can give us ten minutes a game and not hurt us. If he is better than that, and actually makes a starting role, that would be shocking, and hopefully in a good way.

 

[Newhouser]

I like this signing. Don't think he will eat up big minutes right away, but see him as a change of pace guy in certain situations. In this new era the hardest part of the coaching gig is to get guys to accept their roles. It will be interesting to see what his is next year and in the future.

 

[FloridaCuse]

Very positive description of his play by his AAU coach in Zagsblog.

 

[Orangezoo]

Very positive description of his play by his AAU coach in Zagsblog.

Why not us? Can’t we get lucky once in a while and a kid steps on campus and outplays every expectation?

For now not going to put anything but developmental minutes as an expectation. If this kid is way more than that well we’ve been long overdue.

 

[Irishsecra1]

Very positive description of his play by his AAU coach in Zagsblog.

Yeah , I have read several coaches and analysts/bloggers who are frankly stunned how well he played for Cushing for 2 years. He started every game at PG I believe..
Literally, every take I have read is with his size he should have been overpowered and not able to rise to the occasions.
Every single one has said that he rose to the occasion and outplayed the other guard, no matter who he is.
He plays without fear, can out think anyone on the court and does the best in pressure situations.

Now maybe a lot of this is talking him up but it is amazing how highly regarded this kid is by his coaches.
That bodes well for him being highly coachable.

As a side note, GMAC has been labeled a poor recruiter by many on this board due to who he brought in over the years for SU. I cant help but wonder how many players he identified as being really good but was turned down by either JAB or Autry.
We know Red wouldn't give Doty a scholarship and look how well that kid has done.
GMAC identified Folefac and he is also doing well.
And I have high hopes for Moesch.

 

[Niastri]

This post is so funny to me because in the other thread on Mingo its the opposite comments, if we get 6'0 170 freshman 5 star Mingo from UNC then we're going to be a preseason top 25 team.

This is a nicely pointed comment.

There are key differences. There is a reason Mingo is 5th in his class by RSCI and Moesch is outside the top100.

An incredibly important difference is size. Mingo is prototypical NBA size and length, Moesch will usually be the smallest guy on the court. Even if they had the exact same skill set, Mingo would be projected as a much more likely to succeed prospect.

Then there is Moesch's game. He doesn't have elite quickness, he has a slow, low, push shot that isn't going to work at the next level, and only hits 27% of the time at the high school level. His number one characteristic seems to be "basketball IQ" and "intangibles." He looks like a good player, but one that is going to need time to translate.

You would like to see an undersized guard have elite speed, athleticism or a deadeye 3pt shot. In GMAC we trust, but it could be a deadly hubris for a head coach to trust Moesch to have a big role immediately.

Mingo, on the other hand, looks like a guy who will have physical characteristics that can carry him while he adjusts to the next level, and who probably will excel immediately. He did perform at the highest level against the highest high school competition possible.

NBPA Top 100 Camp: 23.8 points, 6.8 assists, 6.5 rebounds
EYBL: 19.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.3 steals

They are radically different prospects, physically, in how they play and in their likely impact as freshman.

If we got Dylan Mingo, I would be confident of a combination of Dual/Mingo with Moesch playing 3rd PG. Dual/Mingo playing side by side could be interesting as well, with Tobiason playing SF during those minutes.

 

[newmexicuse]

Why not us? Can’t we get lucky once in a while and a kid steps on campus and outplays every expectation?

For now not going to put anything but developmental minutes as an expectation. If this kid is way more than that well we’ve been long overdue.

The guy we had who most exceeded expectations in my opinion was Moten. I do not recall him being too highly rated as a recruit, but yet he was a superstar from Day One.

 

[bnoro]

The guy we had who most exceeded expectations in my opinion was Moten. I do not recall him being too highly rated as a recruit, but yet he was a superstar from Day One.

Tyler Ennis in '13-'14

People thought he would be an complimentary piece that year, not a first round draft pick.

 

[bnoro]

I love people who haven’t regularly watched the kid compete pontificating that he can’t play at this level. In his short HC stint, I think Gerry demonstrated the ability to identify undervalued players.

He definitely identified undervalued players that could succeed and exceed expectations in the MAAC. I'm glad he has an eye for undervalued talent but it's not apples to apples. I hope that he's correct.

 

[bballbeadle]

Yeah , I have read several coaches and analysts/bloggers who are frankly stunned how well he played for Cushing for 2 years. He started every game at PG I believe..
Literally, every take I have read is with his size he should have been overpowered and not able to rise to the occasions.
Every single one has said that he rose to the occasion and outplayed the other guard, no matter who he is.
He plays without fear, can out think anyone on the court and does the best in pressure situations.

Now maybe a lot of this is talking him up but it is amazing how highly regarded this kid is by his coaches.
That bodes well for him being highly coachable.

As a side note, GMAC has been labeled a poor recruiter by many on this board due to who he brought in over the years for SU. I cant help but wonder how many players he identified as being really good but was turned down by either JAB or Autry.
We know Red wouldn't give Doty a scholarship and look how well that kid has done.
GMAC identified Folefac and he is also doing well.
And I have high hopes for Moesch.

I love his cocky attitude.

 

[Niastri]

He definitely identified undervalued players that could succeed and exceed expectations in the MAAC. I'm glad he has an eye for undervalued talent but it's not apples to apples. I hope that he's correct.

You often see lucky first time traders in the market who then think they are a genius and they wind up losing all their money from ill considered decisions.

Let's hope GMAC doesn't have the same problem. I absolutely agree GMAC did well mining for talent, finding good players that nobody else wanted for Siena. But a good player in the MAAC is different from a guy who can play in the ACC.

 

[NYCorange]

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

He reminds me more of Craig Forth /s