Syracuse Basketball: Orange have a juicy shot at landing Joseph Girard III

It’s a big moment on the Syracuse basketball recruiting trail, as 2019 stud Joseph Girard III will reveal his college choice this weekend.

Recruiting is rough. There’s no other way to slice it.

Coaches court a top-flight talent for years. Analysts peg your school as the front-runner. All signs point to a commitment.

Then, on decision day, the prospect puts on another program’s hat or t-shirt.

Your heart is broken.

We know this common tale all too well. It happens with unfortunate frequency, to the Syracuse basketball team, its fellow Atlantic Coast Conference members, and virtually every team across the country.

The recruiting business is, indeed, fickle. As such, I try not to get too excited when a recruit is said to lean the Orange’s way, and I attempt to keep myself calm when that player is thought to head elsewhere.

You’re only in the “lead” once a commitment is ultimately made.

And let’s hope this occurs in a few days for the ‘Cuse, because 2019 combo guard Joseph Girard III will announce his collegiate destination on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET, according to multiple media reports.

The 6-foot-2 Girard, out of Glens Falls High School in Glens Falls, NY, is down to a half-dozen finalists that includes Boston College, Duke, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Syracuse.

He took an official visit to the Hill over the summer, with Boston College representing his only other official campus visit. Does that mean anything? I don’t think so.

According to 247 Sports, industry experts view the Orange as the favorite to secure Girard, who is rated as either three or four stars depending on the recruiting service.

Again, this doesn’t hold much weight with me. Until Girard signs on the dotted line, each of these six units have a chance.

Still, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if he selects Syracuse.

Girard lives about three hours from the Orange’s campus. He would get to suit up for a Hall of Fame head coach, compete in the stellar ACC on national TV, and hear more than 30,000 fans inside the Carrier Dome fervently scream his name.

Then again, when Duke in contention, I’m always nervous. Hall of Fame head coach Mike Krzyzewski has five national championships, he’s reached 12 Final Fours, and his school often pulls in college basketball’s best recruiting class.

Michigan, a group that reached the NCAA Tournament title game this past March, are led by head coach John Beilein, who coached Girard’s father while at Le Moyne many years ago.

Boston College has produced some strong guards of late, Notre Dame has successful squad and a fabulous academic institution, and Penn State is on the upswing.

It’s anybody’s guess where Girard is going, but my gut tells me that he will don a Syracuse uniform beginning with the 2019-20 campaign. My prognostications are usually incorrect, so I’m crossing my fingers that, for once, I get something right.

Girard, who also stars in football at Glens Falls High School, would undoubtedly amount to a huge get. He’s one of the premier 3-point specialists in his class.

As a junior, Girard shattered the state of New York high-school career scoring record, during a stanza in which he averaged approximately 50 points per contest and took home the Gatorade New York State Basketball Player of the Year award.

That’s insanely good. The entire Syracuse community would prove extremely lucky to have Girard as part of our family!