Class of 2022 SF Chris Bunch (CA / Wasatch) COMMITTED/SIGNED TO SYRACUSE

[OttoinGrotto]

So kind of interesting thing, Bunch is in Utah, I'm in Utah, I'm thinking eh I can probably go see one of their games pretty easy.

Turns out, Wasatch Academy is like an hour and a half away from me and is in the middle of absolute nowhere.

So that's great.

 

[RF2044]

So, predictions? What do we look like next year?

PG Joe > Quadir [Symmir?]
2G Bunch > (Joe) > (JTaylor)
SF JTaylor > JBA
PF Benny > Carey > Malik
C Jesse > Frank
?

Pencil Jesse, Benny, and JG3 in as starters. Don't think there are any returning players that are locks outside of those three [maybe Swider, if he returns].

Hope we chase a transfer or two. Would kill for a stud lead guard.

 

[jmcclure33]

So kind of interesting thing, Bunch is in Utah, I'm in Utah, I'm thinking eh I can probably go see one of their games pretty easy.

Turns out, Wasatch Academy is like an hour and a half away from me and is in the middle of absolute nowhere.

So that's great.

So this is where we find out the true colors of OiG. How deep does the orange go…

 

[rrlbees]

So, predictions? What do we look like next year?

PG Joe > Quadir [Symmir?]
2G Bunch > (Joe) > (JTaylor)
SF JTaylor > JBA
PF Benny > Carey > Malik
C Jesse > Frank
?

I think it’ll be

1- Joe
2- Bunch
3- Benny
5- Jesse

The 4 IMO is up in the air. Could be Brown, a portal guy or even Swider/Benny if Swider were to stay. Heck, maybe even Frank. But our style of play will certainly change.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

So this is where we find out the true colors of OiG. How deep does the orange go…

Good news! He has two or three games against programs that are really close to me. I'll check him out at one of those and provide the board with a full report.

Not very well, mind you. I don't know what I'm talking about.

 

[Bball44]

Maybe in time. But he's not in the right spot on the floor to score.

He's not a 3 point shooter on this team, so he should get off the 3 point line at the wing, and go down in the corner, or go to the high post by the foul line.

Go where you can move the defense and make a play.

Turns out Woody may have been more ready to contribute as a frosh out of the gate.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

I think it’ll be

1- Joe
2- Bunch
3- Benny
5- Jesse

The 4 IMO is up in the air. Could be Brown, a portal guy or even Swider/Benny if Swider were to stay. Heck, maybe even Frank. But our style of play will certainly change.

Hmmmm. Not much confidence in Taylor? For any particular reason? I need to go back to review his ’film.’

 

[rrlbees]

Hmmmm. Not much confidence in Taylor? For any particular reason? I need to go back to review his ’film.’

I like Taylor. But Bunch and Benny are better right now. Taylor will come in for either of them.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

I like Taylor. But Bunch and Benny are better right now. Taylor will come in for either of them.

Ooof. I just read the Prep Showcase report…. 0 for 12 in a high school game (in any game)—that sounds problematic.

Note to self: highlight reels may be somewhat misleading….

 

[rrlbees]

Ooof. I just read the Prep Showcase report…. 0 for 12 in a high school game (in any game)—that sounds problematic.

Note to self: highlight reels may be somewhat misleading….

It was one game. He hasn’t shot well since peach jam. He’s done better since that game. I’ve also heard, but can’t verify, that he’s been playing hurt with some hamstring or groin issue. I’m not worried though. Taylor’s a player.

 

[rrlbees]

 

[rrlbees]

Tomorrow (Friday) at 7pm on ESPN+, Bunch plays against JJ.

 

[rrlbees]

Tomorrow (Friday) at 7pm on ESPN+, Bunch plays against JJ.

JJs in a tough spot at La Lamiere. They brought in 2 junior PGs that are both highly regarded. JJ didn’t get a lot of chances in their game last night and only had 2 points and 4 shots. Hopefully he gets more PT tonight against Bunch’s team.

 

[cuseallday]

JJs in a tough spot at La Lamiere. They brought in 2 junior PGs that are both highly regarded. JJ didn’t get a lot of chances in their game last night and only had 2 points and 4 shots. Hopefully he gets more PT tonight against Bunch’s team.

Yeah one of those guards is Aden Holloway, whom I believe the Orange is pursuing in the 2023 cycle. I think he dropped 20 points or so in La Lumiere's game yesterday. Top-50 player.

 

[rrlbees]

Yeah one of those guards is Aden Holloway, whom I believe the Orange is pursuing in the 2023 cycle. I think he dropped 20 points or so in La Lumiere's game yesterday. Top-50 player.

Yep, he’s one of them and the other is more highly regarded even though he didn’t show it last night. Actually the kid I’m thinking of is Fears but he isn’t new, he was the starting PG last year who is ranked 27.

 

[Scott11]

This athleticism will be welcomed on the hill. Makes me wonder if this kid is even better than we thought.

 

[rrlbees]

This athleticism will be welcomed on the hill. Makes me wonder if this kid is even better than we thought.

He played well last night but the night before against JJs team, he played poorly. Couldn’t hit anything going 1-10. Seemed to be down on himself much of the game. His team got blown out. JJ had a pretty good game scoring something like 15.

 

[Melancer46]

Recovering from surgery over here so deciding to use some of this down time to make some in-roads on my recruit scouting. Really convenient that Wasatch plays so much on ESPN so I'm able to get a good feed of a bunch of their games. So far I'm only through one of them (against Legacy Early). My notes and unofficial stats:

• Played every single minute of the game
• 11 points on 45.8% TS%
• 1/4 from 2 point range (0/2 from mid-range)
• 3/8 from 3 point range
• 2 assists to 1 turnover
• 2 rebounds
• 1 block
• Doesn't really know how to play defense right now; more of a run and jump defender than someone that will get into a stance and man up. A better fit for our zone and our press than man to man defense right now as a result of that.
• Inconsistent effort to box out, but he showed it here and there, which is more than you get from a lot of high schoolers.
• The one 2 pointer he made was a left-handed layup, which is always nice to see.
• Shoots with a very wide base on his jumper and his lower body and upper body aren't really connected when he shoots.

I'm very curious to see more from him (and there's at least two other games on ESPN for me to watch right now). It seems like 3 point shooting is Bunch's calling card right now, but I have a feeling Boeheim will want to make some significant tweaks to his mechanics so it'll be interesting to see how he ends up.

Other notes about the game:

• Coen Carr from Legacy is an insane athlete. It doesn't seem like he has much basketball skill right now but my god he had a couple monster dunks and apparently holds offers from Georgia and Georgia Tech.
• Our former flame Roddy Gayle is impressive. Doesn't seem like a great shooter, but he was maybe the only guy on the floor that could consistently get where he wanted to go and create his own looks.
• Keba Keita is a 6'8"ish center for Bunch's team. Pretty burly built guy, mobile and bouncey and just plays really hard. He got in foul trouble early in the 3rd quarter and had to sit out while Legacy built a double digit lead. He re-entered the game and Wasatch instantly got the lead back. He finished with (unofficially) 12 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals on 5/6 shooting (and 2/2 from the FT line). The only offer I've seen reported for him is from Washington.

 

[rrlbees]

Recovering from surgery over here so deciding to use some of this down time to make some in-roads on my recruit scouting. Really convenient that Wasatch plays so much on ESPN so I'm able to get a good feed of a bunch of their games. So far I'm only through one of them (against Legacy Early). My notes and unofficial stats:

• Played every single minute of the game
• 11 points on 45.8% TS%
• 1/4 from 2 point range (0/2 from mid-range)
• 3/8 from 3 point range
• 2 assists to 1 turnover
• 2 rebounds
• 1 block
• Doesn't really know how to play defense right now; more of a run and jump defender than someone that will get into a stance and man up. A better fit for our zone and our press than man to man defense right now as a result of that.
• Inconsistent effort to box out, but he showed it here and there, which is more than you get from a lot of high schoolers.
• The one 2 pointer he made was a left-handed layup, which is always nice to see.
• Shoots with a very wide base on his jumper and his lower body and upper body aren't really connected when he shoots.

I'm very curious to see more from him (and there's at least two other games on ESPN for me to watch right now). It seems like 3 point shooting is Bunch's calling card right now, but I have a feeling Boeheim will want to make some significant tweaks to his mechanics so it'll be interesting to see how he ends up.

Other notes about the game:

• Coen Carr from Legacy is an insane athlete. It doesn't seem like he has much basketball skill right now but my god he had a couple monster dunks and apparently holds offers from Georgia and Georgia Tech.
• Our former flame Roddy Gayle is impressive. Doesn't seem like a great shooter, but he was maybe the only guy on the floor that could consistently get where he wanted to go and create his own looks.
• Keba Keita is a 6'8"ish center for Bunch's team. Pretty burly built guy, mobile and bouncey and just plays really hard. He got in foul trouble early in the 3rd quarter and had to sit out while Legacy built a double digit lead. He re-entered the game and Wasatch instantly got the lead back. He finished with (unofficially) 12 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals on 5/6 shooting (and 2/2 from the FT line). The only offer I've seen reported for him is from Washington.

Love that Keita kid. And yes Gayle is a very very good player. Don’t watch Bunch against La Lamiere. Played very poorly and shot 1-10.

 

[supp]

Seemed to be down on himself...His team got blown.

Phrasing!!!

 

[Zelda Zonk]

Anyone else concerned that we keep signing kids who either don't even start on their high school teams, or are putting up bad-to-pedestrian numbers in HS? 11 points here. 1-10 in another—that isn't easy to do in high school. And Taylor had an 0 for 12? How? I mean, if i miss my first five shots in a pickup game, i'm gonna figure something out. Obviously, this is "small sample size," but it seems to be too common of a thing with us. And even when our guys make an all star team, we don't exactly shine in those games and our folks rationalize it as "not the right kind of showcase for our player."

 

[Melancer46]

Anyone else concerned that we keep signing kids who either don't even start on their high school teams, or are putting up bad-to-pedestrian numbers in HS? 11 points here. 1-10 in another—that isn't easy to do in high school. And Taylor had an 0 for 12? How? I mean, if i miss my first five shots in a pickup game, i'm gonna figure something out. Obviously, this is "small sample size," but it seems to be too common of a thing with us. And even when our guys make an all star team, we don't exactly shine in those games and our folks rationalize it as "not the right kind of showcase for our player."

I've only seen the one game, but Bunch doesn't seem like a versatile scorer right now. Having said that, his team scored like 62 points in the game and he had 11. Roddy Gayle was probably in the 20s and after that, it was Bunch, Keita, and one or two other guys all around the same number of points. With the makeup of the team and the competition that they're facing, you're just not going to see these guys putting up those 30/20 kinda box scores like you might have seen back in the day. Guys have too many talented teammates nowadays to dominate the ball that way.

Kadary for example was clearly a stud in high school IMO and he averaged 18/5/5 in the games I watched (and looked very good doing so). If Bunch can look good putting up 10-15 points a game on this team, that would be a pretty good outcome.

Edit: Having said all that, I do think our recruiting isn't as good as it once was, but that's not something you can tell just from the box scores and stuff.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Anyone else concerned that we keep signing kids who either don't even start on their high school teams, or are putting up bad-to-pedestrian numbers in HS? 11 points here. 1-10 in another—that isn't easy to do in high school. And Taylor had an 0 for 12? How? I mean, if i miss my first five shots in a pickup game, i'm gonna figure something out. Obviously, this is "small sample size," but it seems to be too common of a thing with us. And even when our guys make an all star team, we don't exactly shine in those games and our folks rationalize it as "not the right kind of showcase for our player."

I mean, these guys aren't on normal highschool teams. They're on prep all-star teams, pretty much.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

I mean, these guys aren't on normal highschool teams. They're on prep all-star teams, pretty much.

Maybe. Maybe. But, the point stands—they're not putting up impressive numbers. Let's forget about point totals, because, yes, that can lead to a skewed perception, when there is balance among other talented teammates, or suppressed total team scoring. But, still—they are still on high school teams and if they will be expected to make an impact on the collegiate level, shouldn't they be making more impact just within their small circles?

And when we get an all-star kid, we're not even getting McDs anymore. It's Jordan Brand or whatever the other one is. And our kids don't start, and are sorta 'also rans' in those games, and we say stuff like, "Oh, it's just a run and chuck and dunk show and our prototypical players thrive with more structure."

Then, there's the 1-10 and 0-12 and i think there was a 1-12 before that(?). Then there's that Ajak didn't start in high school. And if i'm mistaken, Taylor and Quadir are on an IMG team that isn't the better of the IMG teams(?). Is that correct? When i saw a roster shot last week, it looked like the JV squad compared, despite whatever classification it's operating under. Maybe Jesse was on the same team which invalidates this portion of the skepticism? But, as a fan of a team now "synonymous with 'bubble,'" this coincidental trend is worrisome.

 

[sutomcat]

I've only seen the one game, but Bunch doesn't seem like a versatile scorer right now. Having said that, his team scored like 62 points in the game and he had 11. Roddy Gayle was probably in the 20s and after that, it was Bunch, Keita, and one or two other guys all around the same number of points. With the makeup of the team and the competition that they're facing, you're just not going to see these guys putting up those 30/20 kinda box scores like you might have seen back in the day. Guys have too many talented teammates nowadays to dominate the ball that way.

Kadary for example was clearly a stud in high school IMO and he averaged 18/5/5 in the games I watched (and looked very good doing so). If Bunch can look good putting up 10-15 points a game on this team, that would be a pretty good outcome.

Edit: Having said all that, I do think our recruiting isn't as good as it once was, but that's not something you can tell just from the box scores and stuff.

Kadary wasn't much of a scorer in HS and at the prep level.

He averaged 10.5 ppg his junior year at South Shore. Got his scoring average up to 12.4 ppg as a senior.

Then he averaged 12.5 ppg at Brewster.

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