Syracuse basketball 4-star commit struggles with shot in loss to prep power

Over the past few days, Syracuse basketball 2022 four-star commit Chris Bunch and his teammates competed against a pair of top-10 squads at an elite tournament out west.

Bunch, a top-60 prospect in his class according to 247Sports, and his colleagues at the Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, Utah, unfortunately fell short in both of those games in the Hoophall West tournament at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Ariz.

In one contest, as we already noted in a column, the Wasatch Academy was soundly defeated by the AZ Compass Prep School out of Chandler, Ariz., by a final margin of 79-41.

Chance Westry, a 2022 four-star guard and former ‘Cuse recruiting target who has committed to Auburn, filled up the stat sheet in leading the AZ Compass Prep School to a big win.

Following that duel, the Wasatch Academy went toe to toe with the Montverde Academy from Montverde, Fla., which over the past couple of years has proven arguably the premier team nationwide.

Let’s see how Syracuse basketball pledge Chris Bunch did versus a prep-school juggernaut.

The Montverde Academy took care of business against the Wasatch Academy, prevailing by a count of 65-49, according to a box score provided by the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference, of which both teams are members.

Bunch, who chose the ‘Cuse over Rutgers and Washington in October, logged 29 minutes. He was 4-of-14 from the field and 2-of-8 from beyond the arc, compiling 10 points along with two rebounds, one block, one steal and five turnovers.

As a collective unit, the Wasatch Academy only connected on about 38 percent from the field and roughly 36 percent from 3-point land. By extension, the Montverde Academy wasn’t all that terrific from the field or deep, either, but the Eagles were plus-13 points from the charity stripe.

Two Syracuse basketball five-star recruiting prospects suit for the Montverde Academy, and Orange coaches offered each of them in October.

Forward Kwame Evans Jr., the No. 2 prospect in the 2023 cycle, didn’t shoot all that well, but he registered six points, a team-high nine boards and one block in 21 minutes.

Power forward Derik Queen, a consensus top-five player in the 2024 class, saw only three minutes of court time. He had two rebounds and one block.