Syracuse Basketball: Multiple 4-star targets will vie for Peach Jam crown

Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) on the AAU circuit is headed toward the culmination of its 2021 Peach Jam tournament in North Augusta, S.C., and a range of Syracuse basketball four-star prospects will compete for the title.

Normally, the EYBL has a longer regular season that ends with the Peach Jam tournament. But given the novel coronavirus pandemic, this AAU league elected to hold about one week of games, and now 24 teams have qualified for pool play, which will occur throughout this week.

Then, eight squads will qualify for the single-elimination tournament that takes place this coming Saturday, with the championship contest occurring this Sunday. Per college basketball insider Adam Zagoria, ESPNU will televise the semi-finals on Saturday evening and the finals on Sunday night.

Check out which Syracuse basketball targets are still in the Peach Jam tourney.

Among the AAU squads still in the running for Peach Jam glory are the New York City-based NY Renaissance, the Washington, D.C.-based Team Takeover, the Millburn, N.J.-based New Jersey Scholars Elite Basketball Club, and the Albany City Rocks.

Justin Taylor, a 2022 four-star wing who committed to the ‘Cuse not too long ago, suits up for Team Takeover. He attends the St. Anne’s-Belfield School in Charlottesville, Va.

The Albany City Rocks features Central New York native J.J. Starling, a 2022 four-star guard. He previously starred at Charles W. Baker High School in Baldwinsville, N.Y., and presently goes to the La Lumiere School in La Porte, Ind.

The New Jersey Scholars Elite Basketball Club includes 2022 four-star point guard Quadir Copeland, who will spend his senior year at the powerhouse IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

The NY Renaissance has a loaded line-up with a couple of Syracuse basketball prospects on it. One member is 2023 five-star combo guard Simeon Wilcher out of Roselle Catholic High School in Roselle, N.J. The Orange coaching staff recently offered a scholarship to Wilcher.

Also on the NY Renaissance are 2022 four-star power forward Kyle Filipowski from the Wilbraham & Monson Academy in Wilbraham, Mass., 2022 four-star guard Chance Westry with Hillcrest Prep in Gilbert, Ariz., and 2022 three-star guard Denver Anglin from the Gill St. Bernard’s School in Gladstone, N.J.

We’ll of course continue to monitor how these various Syracuse basketball prospects fare in the prestigious Peach Jam.