Syracuse Basketball: Stellar guard Blue Cain seeing recruitment expand

Syracuse basketball is likely going to see its competition for 2023 guard Blue Cain intensify in the near future.

The Orange offered the talented and under-rated Cain this past February. More recently, the sophomore at Knoxville Catholic High School in Knoxville, Tenn., landed a scholarship offer from his home-state team, Tennessee.

The Volunteers recently secured a commitment from former Orange target Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, a five-star power forward, and Tennessee has fared quite well on the recruiting trail of late.

Getting back to the 6-foot-4 Cain, his other offers at this juncture are from South Carolina, Howard and ETSU. That is going to change, though.

Jamie Shaw, a national recruiting analyst for Rivals.com, noted in a piece that other high-major squads showing interest in Cain include 2021 Final Four participant UCLA, Missouri and fellow Atlantic Coast Conference member Virginia Tech.

"Cain said to Shaw, “I’m really looking out west, California. UCLA has been talking to me lately, I wouldn’t mind going out that way.” Since he’s a sophomore, Cain’s recruiting process could have a way to go, but if he’s eyeing the West Coast, that’s not a good sign for the ‘Cuse."

Syracuse basketball 2023 prospect Blue Cain once scored 73 points in a game.

Cain is an excellent guard with tremendous scoring prowess. According to Shaw, Cain shined at a recent event, the Big Shots Rocky Top Tip-Off in Gatlinburg, Tenn.

At this event, Cain tallied 19.7 points per contest in helping to guide his AAU team, Knoxville-based B. Maze Elite, to a Gold Division championship, Shaw writes.

The Rivals.com analyst says that “Cain plays with pace and burst, while he is equally adept at finishing above the rim in traffic as he is knocking down a pull-up three off the bounce.”

In the 2023 recruiting cycle, the Orange has offered scholarships to a half-dozen guys, including Cain. For now, Cain isn’t nationally ranked by some of the primary recruiting services, but I absolutely foresee that changing.

Cain has said in past interviews that he remains in consistent communication with the Syracuse basketball coaching staff, and he has spoken positively of the Orange program.

The ‘Cuse got in early on with Cain, and maybe that will count for something. The offers should keep on pouring in for Cain, and my fingers are crossed that Syracuse basketball stays a contender for him throughout his recruitment.