Two Syracuse basketball five-star recruiting targets in the junior class recently picked up the top honor in their respective states for the 2021-22 campaign.
According to separate announcements, 2023 five-star guard/wing Matas Buzelis was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in New Hampshire for 2021-22, while 2023 five-star point guard D.J. Wagner received the Gatorade Player of the Year award in New Jersey for the second term in a row.
The 6-foot-10 Buzelis plays for the powerhouse Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H. The Orange offered him a scholarship in November of 2020.
The 6-foot-3 Wagner, meanwhile, stars for Camden High School in Camden, N.J. The ‘Cuse coaching staff offered him this past August at the Orange’s annual Elite Camp.
Two Syracuse basketball five-star targets have picked up prestigious honors.
Per a press release, Buzelis helped guide the Brewster Academy to a 31-8 record in 2021-22. His team won the New England Prep School Athletic Council Class AAA tournament championship, and on the season, Buzelis averaged 11.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals per contest.
As we noted in a column earlier this week, Wagner generated 23 points, three rebounds and six steals in the recently held final game of the Tournament of Champions in Piscataway, N.J., but Camden High School (31-3) lost to Roselle Catholic High School in Roselle, N.J., by a score of 61-58 in overtime.
Wagner did recently help guide Camden High School to the squad’s first NJSIAA Group 2 state title since 2000. When the news about this award came out, Wagner was averaging 19.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.1 steals per encounter, according to an announcement.
By winning these player of the year awards for their respective states, both Buzelis and Wagner are now finalists for the 2021-22 Gatorade National Player of the Year honor.
Most recruiting services rate Wagner as the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2023 cycle, while in this class, the majority of recruiting Web sites place Buzelis within the top-10 across the country.
Wagner’s other offers include from Kentucky, Memphis, Villanova and Temple, with numerous national analysts projecting that he will end up picking Kentucky.
Buzelis holds offers and interest from high-major programs such as Duke, Kentucky, Michigan State, Michigan, Ohio State, Florida State, North Carolina, Illinois, Florida, Purdue, Oklahoma, Arizona, UCLA, Maryland, Wake Forest and Connecticut.
To date, I haven’t seen any predictions from recruiting insiders as to a potential collegiate destination for Buzelis.