Syracuse Basketball: 4-star J.J. Starling falls to Roddy Gayle Jr. new team

Syracuse basketball prospect J.J. Starling is playing in Virginia event.

Some recruiting analysts continue to believe that Syracuse basketball is in a solid position with 2022 four-star point guard J.J. Starling, even though there hasn’t proven a lot of public chatter about his recruitment as of late.

That’s probably because Starling, a Central New York product who previously played for Charles W. Baker High School in Baldwinsville, N.Y., is laser-focused on his recently commenced season for national powerhouse the La Lumiere School in La Porte, Ind.

Rated No. 10 across the country in these top-25 rankings from MaxPreps, Starling and the La Lumiere School are participating in the St. James NIBC Invitational, an event being held in Springfield, Va., and featuring some of the best teams nationwide.

In its first contest as part of the St. James NIBC Invitational, the La Lumiere School faced off with the Wasatch Academy, which is based in Mount Pleasant, Utah.

The Wasatch Academy, No. 11 in the MaxPreps top-25 ratings, has a roster that now includes former Orange 2022 target Roddy Gayle Jr., a four-star shooting guard.

Gayle, who picked Ohio State over the ‘Cuse and several other finalists, revealed via social media last month that he would transfer from Lewiston-Porter High School in Youngstown, N.Y., to the Wasatch Academy.

When they suited up against one another on Jan. 8, the Wasatch Academy prevailed versus the La Lumiere School, 55-45, per statistics provided by legitstats.com.

Starling collected 10 points, nine rebounds and five assists in 32 minutes, while Gayle produced 11 points and four rebounds in just 15 minutes of court action.

In a match-up with the Bishop Walsh School of Cumberland, Md., on Jan. 9, the La Lumiere School triumphed, 45-37. Starling registered eight points, two rebounds and two assists in 32 minutes.

On Sunday, Jan. 10, the La Lumiere School is slated to square off at 3:30 pm against the Montverde Academy out of Montverde, Fla. The MaxPreps top-25 rankings have the Montverde Academy at No. 1 in the country, so Starling and his teammates will surely have their hands full.