Syracuse Basketball: Darius Bazley’s Commitment Boosts Momentum
By Neil Adler
Coveted 2018 prospect Darius Bazley has chosen Syracuse basketball, which should jump-start our recruiting efforts. At least, we hope.
Syracuse faithful, you can step away from the ledge.
I’ve seen a lot of moaning and groaning lately from some SU fans as it pertains to our basketball squad. Apprehension. Negativity. Nervousness. Whining.
A golden era of Orange hoops from 2009 to 2014 resulted in a Final Four, an Elite Eight, No. 1 rankings, and No. 1 seeds in the Big Dance.
That, frustratingly, has given way to three stanzas of sub-par records, missing out on March Madness twice and exiting the NIT early on this past go-round. (Although, we did go on a magical run to the 2016 Final Four.)
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Still, head coach Jim Boeheim and his program got slapped with NCAA sanctions that clearly have hurt recruiting endeavors. In the spring, long-time assistant Mike Hopkins headed to Washington.
While we nabbed four promising freshmen for the 2017-18 campaign, along with transfers Elijah Hughes and Geno Thorpe, a bevy of top-flight targets painstakingly spurned Syracuse in recent months for a variety of powerhouse schools.
Think Quade Green, then Jordan Tucker. While sandwiched in between them, guys like Hamidou Diallo, Billy Preston, Nick Richards and Lonnie Walker, to name a couple. Just a few days ago, Hameir Wright and Cole Swider. It’s a sizable list.
Perhaps, however, none of that matters any more.
We snagged a prized recruit. The sun is again shining in Central New York. Maybe this is a sign of positive developments to come.
My esteemed Inside The Loud House colleague, Brandon Ross, noted that 2018 four-star forward Darius Bazley has pledged his allegiance to JB & Co.
All I can say is, heck yeah. What a get.
The 6-7 Bazley, out of Princeton High School in Cincinnati, took an unofficial visit to SU last Friday, per multiple reports. Apparently, that trip did the trick for him, with Bazley verbally committing on Monday (Scout.com first reported this news).
While initially a Ohio State commit, he re-opened his recruiting in the spring and had offers from Cincinnati, Florida, Georgetown, Indiana, Louisville, Maryland and Xavier, among others.
Bazley, who received a scholarship offer from the Orange in mid-May, is a consensus top-100 player in his class, rated 32nd by ESPN.com, and generally regarded as the number-one prospect in Ohio.
Simply put.
That is the kind of stud we want to kick off our 2018 class. According to 247Sports, Bazley’s commitment alone bolsters ‘Cuse’s class ranking to 19th nationally and fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
While Boeheim and his staff, moreover, aren’t done recruiting for the 2018-19 term. At this juncture, they have one scholarship available, assuming no one declares early or transfers.
Intriguing prospects such as four-star guards Eric Ayala (if he doesn’t reclassify to 2017) and Jalen Carey are on Syracuse’s radar. Should we secure one of their services, it would cast the state of SU basketball in an even brighter light.
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While Bazley said in interviews with Scout.com and other media outlets that he feels quite comfortable with his future teammates and coaches, and that his decision to attend the ‘Cuse will prove beneficial to him in growing as an athlete and as a person.
To me, these comments are extremely telling. They’re a reflection of both Bazley’s character and our beloved Orange. And that makes for a juicy and sweet combination!