Syracuse Basketball: Dior Johnson versus Chance Westry – yes, please

Syracuse basketball 2022 commit Dior Johnson is calling for a game against Orange target Chance Westry, and we’re all for that.

Syracuse basketball landed a commitment from 2022 five-star point guard Dior Johnson this past February, and the Orange has made Chance Westry, a four-star guard in this recruiting cycle, a high-priority target for some time now.

Could Johnson and Westry face off in the upcoming high-school season? The 6-foot-3 Johnson, who is the No. 3 player nationally in the 2022 class according to 247Sports, had some recent fun with this topic on social media, tweeting “Oak hill Vs Sierra canyon … the people need it.”

Now, as context, Johnson is a junior at the Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va. So, too, is Zion Cruz, a 2022 five-star guard who is also a big-time target for Syracuse basketball in this recruiting cycle.

The 6-foot-5 Westry, on the other hand, disclosed in June that he would transfer from Trinity High School in Camp Hill, Pa., to the Sierra Canyon School in the Los Angeles suburb of Chatsworth, Calif.

https://twitter.com/3Diorjohnson/status/1302639652596219904

As we’ve previously noted, the Sierra Canyon School roster also includes Bronny James, a four-star point guard in the 2023 class and the son of NBA superstar LeBron James.

It wouldn’t surprise me if both the Oak Hill Academy and the Sierra Canyon School are among the top high-school teams in the country during the upcoming campaign, assuming one is played amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Not long after Johnson shared his thoughts on Twitter, another tweet came across, which he retweeted. “Oak Hill will take on Sierra Canyon in January 2021. SC will play as ‘club team’ do to their season not starting until March. Details coming soon.”

https://twitter.com/3Diorjohnson/status/1302705323778678785

Now, I have not seen anything official from either squad about them possibly meeting up this term. Numerous comments from folks on Twitter say that based on various issues surrounding the pandemic, it’s highly unlikely that the Oak Hill Academy and the Sierra Canyon School could go toe to toe. In fact, it may be impossible to have happen for the time being.

I sent e-mails to the athletic directors at the Oak Hill Academy and the Sierra Canyon School earlier this week and haven’t heard back. If I do, one way or another, I’ll update this piece.

Perhaps it’s just a pipe dream that these two powerhouse programs could hit the court versus one another either later this year or in early 2021. But Syracuse basketball fanatics certainly would welcome a match-up among Johnson and Cruz versus Westry and Bronny James. Wow.