Syracuse basketball commit to battle Chance Westry’s team, 5-star targets

It’s a big week ahead for Syracuse basketball 2022 four-star commit Chris Bunch, as he and his prep-school teammates will face off against two of the best squads around the country.

Bunch, a top-60 prospect according to 247Sports, is a top-flight wing who picked the Orange over other finalists Washington and Rutgers in October. He is a senior at the Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, Utah.

According to the 2021-22 schedule for Bunch’s team, the Wasatch Academy later this week will suit up in the Hoophall West tournament at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Ariz.

As part of this event, on Thursday, Dec. 9, the Wasatch Academy will take on the AZ Compass Prep School out of Chandler, Ariz. Some pre-season polls ahead of the 2021-22 campaign placed the AZ Compass Prep School at No. 1 nationally, although this squad did recently suffer a loss.

On the AZ Compass Prep School roster is former long-time ‘Cuse 2022 target Chance Westry, a four-star guard who had the Orange in his top 10 before selecting Auburn.

Syracuse basketball commit Chris Bunch will compete versus a second prep power.

On Friday, Dec. 10, the Wasatch Academy will have its hands full in a daunting duel against the Montverde Academy from Montverde, Fla., at the Hoophall West.

Two members of the Montverde Academy line-up are 2023 five-star forward Kwame Evans Jr. and 2024 five-star power forward Derik Queen, both of whom received scholarship offers from the ‘Cuse in October.

Last week, the Montverde Academy rose to No. 1 in the top-20 national ratings from MaxPreps, as we noted in a column.

However, over the weekend, at the Bob Kirk Invitational Showcase in Cumberland, Md., which kicked off the 2021-22 competition for the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference, the Montverde Academy fell on a last-second bucket, 65-64, to the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

Houston commit Jarace Walker, a 2022 five-star power forward who held a Syracuse basketball offer, paced the IMG Academy with 20 points, according to media reports.

In updated top-25 national rankings from analyst and scout Samad Hines on the theseasonticket.com, the IMG Academy is No. 1, the Montverde Academy is No. 2 and the AZ Compass Prep School is No. 9.

The Wasatch Academy, which went 1-2 at the Bob Kirk Invitational Showcase, is now at No. 13 in Hines’ ratings. Should prove a challenging week for Bunch and his teammates.