The class of 2022 is very very important for our team

[CardiacCuse]

Meh.

It's not like there are suddenly more humans playing basketball now, than before the pandemic and the portal.

And those getting an extra year, don't count against the scholarship cap, so they're NOT reducing the number of available schollies by having used another year more than they otherwise would have been entitled to.

It's the same total number of humans, and the same total number of scholarships.
347 D1 schools x 13 scholarships = 4511. Like always.

The fact that roughly 1/3 of these guys decided to play musical chairs, doesn't change the math.

I'd imagine it's gonna be a scramble at the end, as guys who haven't yet locked down where they want to go, have to settle for whatever is left like at 2am closing time.
And you rarely find an optimized relationship at 2am.

yes there are ...theres a whole extra year of players that are eligible than usually are.*which wasnt planned into a lot of the schools contingency plans for recruiting

graduating high schoolers are now competing with the rest of the portal and not just themselves. its a big difference.

 

[Fly Rodder]

Via ESPN+ from mid-January 2022:

Despite the lack of commitments, we did have some shuffling in the [2022] class rankings -- some of it due to the aforementioned commitments, some of it due to individual players rising and falling in the ESPN 100. Here's a look at some of the noteworthy class rankings storylines:
...
Dropped out: Syracuse (23)

I don't know how they assemble their class rankings, whether it's a volume or quality thing ... As of now SU has no top-100 recruits in 2022 according to ESPN and, via 247, only one by a thread. They're certainly not stacking up a class of killers ready to contribute despite having a ton of playing time available. Next season is looking iffy.

They might have the number 1 class in decommits and also-rans.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

Via ESPN+ from mid-January 2022:

I don't know how they assemble their class rankings, whether it's a volume or quality thing ... As of now SU has no top-100 recruits in 2022 according to ESPN and, via 247, only one by a thread. They're certainly not stacking up a class of killers ready to contribute despite having a ton of playing time available. Next season is looking iffy.

They might have the number 1 class in decommits and also-rans.

People really expecting something different out of JB, Red and GMac?

Change is needed and the lack of recruiting success make Red and GMac less than ideal replacement candidates. Tear it all down because the Boeheim system is broken.

 

[chugg21]

People really expecting something different out of JB, Red and GMac?

Change is needed and the lack of recruiting success make Red and GMac less than ideal replacement candidates. Tear it all down because the Boeheim system is broken.

Yes. This was a 1 year aberration and we'll be back to being a powerhouse as JB hits 80!

 

[Day2]

Via ESPN+ from mid-January 2022:

I don't know how they assemble their class rankings, whether it's a volume or quality thing ... As of now SU has no top-100 recruits in 2022 according to ESPN and, via 247, only one by a thread. They're certainly not stacking up a class of killers ready to contribute despite having a ton of playing time available. Next season is looking iffy.

They might have the number 1 class in decommits and also-rans.

2-3 of our guys were top 100 at one point, correct? And most importantly, while we were recruiting them. So the staff was targeting whom they thought were the right guys. By the time they dropped in the rankings, it was too late to really do much about it, other than hope someone like Judah Mintz would become available.

Wasn’t Tyus Battle a top ten recruit when he committed? We’ve had so many guys drop post-commitment, I’m surprised Manny’s isn’t selling tin foil hats with a block S.

Some might fault the staff for poor scouting, and maybe that’s part of it. To reiterate, they thought they were recruiting the right guys.

That’s not to say they shouldn’t hit the portal to make up for it. They absolutely should.

 

[pfister1]

2-3 of our guys were top 100 at one point, correct? And most importantly, while we were recruiting them. So the staff was targeting whom they thought were the right guys. By the time they dropped in the rankings, it was too late to really do much about it, other than hope someone like Judah Mintz would become available.

Wasn’t Tyus Battle a top ten recruit when he committed? We’ve had so many guys drop post-commitment, I’m surprised Manny’s isn’t selling tin foil hats with a block S.

Some might fault the staff for poor scouting, and maybe that’s part of it. To reiterate, they thought they were recruiting the right guys.

That’s not to say they shouldn’t hit the portal to make up for it. They absolutely should.

Hopefully we’re not recruiting guys based on their rankings. Hopefully the staff doesn’t even look at the rankings, those are for fans and maybe the players themselves. The staff better be out looking at guys in camps and then in school games, seeing them live and on video and making their own talent and “fit” evaluations.

 

[Day2]

Hopefully we’re not recruiting guys based on their rankings. Hopefully the staff doesn’t even look at the rankings, those are for fans and maybe the players themselves. The staff better be out looking at guys in camps and then in school games, seeing them live and on video and making their own talent and “fit” evaluations.

I would have to think the rankings would validate their own scouting.

 

[Cusefan0307]

2-3 of our guys were top 100 at one point, correct? And most importantly, while we were recruiting them. So the staff was targeting whom they thought were the right guys. By the time they dropped in the rankings, it was too late to really do much about it, other than hope someone like Judah Mintz would become available.

Wasn’t Tyus Battle a top ten recruit when he committed? We’ve had so many guys drop post-commitment, I’m surprised Manny’s isn’t selling tin foil hats with a block S.

Some might fault the staff for poor scouting, and maybe that’s part of it. To reiterate, they thought they were recruiting the right guys.

That’s not to say they shouldn’t hit the portal to make up for it. They absolutely should.

Battle was not top 10 when he committed. He was right around Benny's ranking.

 

[Orangezoo]

2-3 of our guys were top 100 at one point, correct? And most importantly, while we were recruiting them. So the staff was targeting whom they thought were the right guys. By the time they dropped in the rankings, it was too late to really do much about it, other than hope someone like Judah Mintz would become available.

Wasn’t Tyus Battle a top ten recruit when he committed? We’ve had so many guys drop post-commitment, I’m surprised Manny’s isn’t selling tin foil hats with a block S.

Some might fault the staff for poor scouting, and maybe that’s part of it. To reiterate, they thought they were recruiting the right guys.

That’s not to say they shouldn’t hit the portal to make up for it. They absolutely should.

In fairness- outside Taylor no one was legit top 100 besides Starling. So when we couldn't get him- you had rivals as sort of the only ranking system helping our case. The expectation was that Copeland, Taylor and Bunch would have a great Peach Jam and senior/post grad year and shoot up the rankings. Instead both Copeland and Taylor were mediocre at PJ, including awful shooting.

The whole Lands ordeal sucked too as even though the kid has dropped some in rankings he looked easily as the best commit.

I don't think I recall a class we started so much more excited about than we finished in terms of prior to arrival. That itself is a potential "miss" pending what we see once they get here.

 

[Cusefan0307]

In fairness- outside Taylor no one was legit top 100 besides Starling. So when we couldn't get him- you had rivals as sort of the only ranking system helping our case. The expectation was that Copeland, Taylor and Bunch would have a great Peach Jam and senior/post grad year and shoot up the rankings. Instead both Copeland and Taylor were mediocre at PJ, including awful shooting.

The whole Lands ordeal sucked too as even though the kid has dropped some in rankings he looked easily as the best commit.

I don't think I recall a class we started so much more excited about than we finished in terms of prior to arrival. That itself is a potential "miss" pending what we see once they get here.

Bunch is top 100 right now. 2 4 7 composite has him 96 and 55 overall in their own rankings. Personally I think Taylor is the better player right now.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Via ESPN+ from mid-January 2022:

I don't know how they assemble their class rankings, whether it's a volume or quality thing ... As of now SU has no top-100 recruits in 2022 according to ESPN and, via 247, only one by a thread. They're certainly not stacking up a class of killers ready to contribute despite having a ton of playing time available. Next season is looking iffy.

They might have the number 1 class in decommits and also-rans.

I look at it this way -- we clearly have a "quantity" vs "quality" (don't take that word too literally) approach. It would work out nicely if we knew we had 1-2 top talents returning that could be surrounded by these incoming kids. You also hope, because of the class size, 1-2 will exceed expectations and be "surprise" players. That seems like the more likely situation here, or at least the hope.

Obviously every player brought in- every year- you want to eventually be a contributor to a winning team, filling a role suited for them and the overall team.

 

[Orangezoo]

Bunch is top 100 right now. 2 4 7 composite has him 96 and 55 overall in their own rankings. Personally I think Taylor is the better player right now.

Yeah I just don't get the rankings for Bunch. I hope he is a massive surprise just don't see it.

Taylor to me seems like a little bigger version of Mulcahy for RU.

 

[Fly Rodder]

The class is just underwhelming for what is needed to be in the top 3 or 4 of the ACC and compete for a conference championship.

Just looking back at Alsacs original post with updates a year later:

Centers
Jon Bol Ajok- rSo
Frank Anselem Soph(?)
Jesse Edwards- Junior

Forwards
Alan Griffin Senior
Quincy Guerrier- Junior
Robert Braswell rJunior
Woody Newton- Soph
Benny Williams- Freshman(?)
Cole Swider (?)

Guards
Buddy Boeheim Senior
Joe Girard Junior
Symir Torrence
Kadary Richmond Soph
Chaz Owens Soph

SU got the big class, but I don't think the talent is there to step in as freshmen and take the starting roles needed to push the class over the top. There was a lot of crowing about how great this class was going to be based on who was being recruited and they whiffed on them all.

JG3 and Jesse can be expected to add a few points per game, but that doesn't replace Jimmy & Buddy - although maybe the defense is better, but that's a wildcard because lots of talented players come in and can't immediately grasp the zone. Need a Flynn level talent at PG and KJo at SF.

 

[chugg21]

I look at it this way -- we clearly have a "quantity" vs "quality" (don't take that word too literally) approach. It would work out nicely if we knew we had 1-2 top talents returning that could be surrounded by these incoming kids. You also hope, because of the class size, 1-2 will exceed expectations and be "surprise" players. That seems like the more likely situation here, or at least the hope.

Obviously every player brought in- every year- you want to eventually be a contributor to a winning team, filling a role suited for them and the overall team.

Yep. Each of these recruits in our high end days would be the supplement 4-year program guy(s) behind 1 guy ranked between 15-30 and another between 30-60.

 

[5OutFred]

Yep. Each of these recruits in our high end days would be the supplement 4-year program guy(s) behind 1 guy ranked between 15-30 and another between 30-60.

Building a program around a high quantity class of many outside the top 100 freshmen is a program death-wish these days. You can build around a few elite freshmen (top 10-30 ish) but must supplement talented youth with top experienced transfer portal guys.

The state of SU recruiting feels more "hoping to get high level guys" than "planning on getting high level guys" and we've seen how that worked out with the once 'holy' 2022 class.

I really don't see the winning vision of this program.

 

[Cuse181]

The competition level is something that might make sense in your head but isn't accurate. The last 2 games he got solid minutes against were Rutgers and BC, both major conference foes and he competed perfectly fine. Buddy was out in both of these games. We lost to Rutgers by 10 in a game that Woody scored 6 pts in 9 minutes. Joe on the other hand got 34 mins and went 1-8 for 3 points.

4 days later we play BC and stomp them. Woody gets solid minutes and goes 4-7 for 9 points and 4 boards in 15 minutes.

4 days later we play Northeastern and Buddy is back and now Woody plays the least in his career as we struggle to beat a crap team. Buddy(1-12) and Griffin(0-4) are completely terrible but it's irrelevant. The rotation has been set in stone and Woody is Boeheimed at this point after being a solid rotation contributor as a true freshman. He goes on to play 20 minutes the rest of his career in Orange.

BC was a 4 win team last year and was barely competitive with anyone, not sure I would use that as an example of potential… Rutgers is a better example but that still doesn’t really present much of an argument for what he could’ve offered the team over what they already have. I’d put him in the same level as freshman year Benny without the upside. The argument that he got “boeheimed” is certainly convenient, but it’s far more likely he didn’t have the skills to displace griffin and Quincy.

 

[Day2]

Battle was not top 10 when he committed. He was right around Benny's ranking.

I remember seeing him ranked 8th at one point. Was that when he was committing to Michigan? It may have only been ESPN.

 

[Day2]

In fairness- outside Taylor no one was legit top 100 besides Starling. So when we couldn't get him- you had rivals as sort of the only ranking system helping our case. The expectation was that Copeland, Taylor and Bunch would have a great Peach Jam and senior/post grad year and shoot up the rankings. Instead both Copeland and Taylor were mediocre at PJ, including awful shooting.

The whole Lands ordeal sucked too as even though the kid has dropped some in rankings he looked easily as the best commit.

I don't think I recall a class we started so much more excited about than we finished in terms of prior to arrival. That itself is a potential "miss" pending what we see once they get here.

Bunch was top 100 somewhere at some point. I recall someone pointing out he was ranked higher than Lands by one service.

 

[Cuse181]

I remember seeing him ranked 8th at one point. Was that when he was committing to Michigan? It may have only been ESPN.

He was briefly #10 twice on 247s in-house list but that was in 2014. He dropped pretty quickly his senior year

 

[Cuse181]

Bunch was top 100 somewhere at some point. I recall someone pointing out he was ranked higher than Lands by one service.

He’s still top 100 on Rivals (#80)

 

[Cusefan0307]

I remember seeing him ranked 8th at one point. Was that when he was committing to Michigan? It may have only been ESPN.

May have been real early In his recruitment.

 

[Orangezoo]

Bunch was top 100 somewhere at some point. I recall someone pointing out he was ranked higher than Lands by one service.

It was probably me. It's still odd based on what folks who have seen him play have shared and in film. Would love if he was every bit worthy of that rank.

 

[Alsacs]

BC was a 4 win team last year and was barely competitive with anyone, not sure I would use that as an example of potential… Rutgers is a better example but that still doesn’t really present much of an argument for what he could’ve offered the team over what they already have. I’d put him in the same level as freshman year Benny without the upside. The argument that he got “boeheimed” is certainly convenient, but it’s far more likely he didn’t have the skills to displace griffin and Quincy.

The HC didn’t sit certain players last year even if they struggled in games.
Marek played out of position so we didn’t have to worry about minutes for the SG, and forwards.

Woody deserved a chance to play based on how he played when given minutes.

Our players need rest. Defense used to matter until 4 years ago. It will matter hopefully again next year.

 

[Cuse181]

The HC didn’t sit certain players last year even if they struggled in games.
Marek played out of position so we didn’t have to worry about minutes for the SG, and forwards.

Woody deserved a chance to play based on how he played when given minutes.

Our players need rest. Defense used to matter until 4 years ago. It will matter hopefully again next year.

Agree to disagree on woody. I think Braswell was the better player and the larger issue when it came to lack of minutes.

 

[Domedog84]

BC was a 4 win team last year and was barely competitive with anyone, not sure I would use that as an example of potential… Rutgers is a better example but that still doesn’t really present much of an argument for what he could’ve offered the team over what they already have. I’d put him in the same level as freshman year Benny without the upside. The argument that he got “boeheimed” is certainly convenient, but it’s far more likely he didn’t have the skills to displace griffin and Quincy.

I hope you are right about the potential because I thought Woody showed way more last year (in limited playing time) than Benny did all year. I don't think Woody needed to displace Griff and Q. Griff displaced himself down the stretch and getting Woody spot minutes would not have taken crazy effort. Also, who knows the inner workings and if Woody even wanted to be here late in the year, and what the effort looked like. I just wish we had Woody as an option at forward this year.