Syracuse Basketball: 4-star J.J. Starling brilliant versus nation’s No. 2 team

The annual Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament is underway in Florida, pitting some of the top prep-school teams from around the country against each other, and Syracuse basketball 2022 four-star prospect J.J. Starling has already made his mark.

Starling, an elite point guard in his recruiting cycle, currently plays for the La Lumiere School in La Porte, Ind., after transferring there from Charles W. Baker High School in Baldwinsville, N.Y.

The Central New York product and his La Lumiere School teammates went toe to toe with the Sunrise Christian Academy from Bel Aire, Kan., on Thursday as part of the 2021 Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament in Montverde, Fla.

The Sunrise Christian Academy, featuring one-time Orange target and 2021 five-star point guard Kennedy Chandler, is presently ranked No. 2 across the country in the latest MaxPreps top-25 poll, while the La Lumiere School is No. 19.

Starling put forth a tremendous performance against the Sunrise Christian Academy, however, his squad ended up losing, 77-53, according to statistics provided by legitstats.com. The Sunrise Christian Academy also recently defeated the La Lumiere School, 57-46, at the St. James NIBC Invitational in Springfield, Va.

In Thursday’s battle, Starling registered basically half of his team’s total points, as the 2022 point guard collected 26 points himself in 32 minutes of action.

Per legitstats.com, Starling connected on 10-of-15 from the field and 6-of-11 from beyond the arc. Starling tallied three rebounds, one assist and one block, although he also produced five turnovers.

Syracuse basketball target J.J. Starling is facing some elite prep-school competition.

Starling played well in the St. James NIBC Invitational, and now he’s off to a strong start at the Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament.

However, he and his La Lumiere School colleagues boast another massive challenge on Friday night, as they are scheduled to tip-off with the tourney’s host group, the Montverde Academy, at 7 pm. The Montverde Academy is No. 1 nationally in the most recent MaxPreps top-25 ballot.

The Montverde Academy will likely defeat the La Lumiere School, particularly on its home court. But if Starling keeps up his stellar play, his number of scholarship offers will undeniably continue to rise. The Orange offered him back in the summer of 2019.

On Saturday at 3 pm, the La Lumiere School is planning to square off with the Wasatch Academy out of Mount Pleasant, Utah, in the Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament.

The Wasatch Academy, No. 8 nationwide according to MaxPreps, has a roster that features former Syracuse basketball 2022 target Roddy Gayle Jr., a four-star shooting guard who picked Ohio State over the ‘Cuse and several other finalists.

Starling and the La Lumiere School will seek to exact revenge on Gayle and the Wasatch Academy, which won a meeting of the two top-25 teams on Jan. 8 at the St. James NIBC Invitational, by a final count of 55-45.