Syracuse Basketball: Judah Mintz, Chris Bunch teams ranked in final polls

The 2021-22 season of high-school hoops has winded down to a close, with AAU events on the horizon in the spring and summer months, and several Syracuse basketball commits and recruiting targets saw their teams end this term situated within various national rankings.

Judah Mintz, a 2022 four-star guard who only a few days ago gave a verbal commitment to the Orange, was a star player for the Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., in his senior season.

The Oak Hill Academy, a member of the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (“NIBC”), recently participated in the prestigious 2022 GEICO Nationals in Ft. Myers, Fla.

Jordan Divens, the national basketball editor for MaxPreps, recently published his final top-20 rankings of independent basketball academies and prep-school squads that don’t compete for state championships.

Finishing with an overall record of 33-8, the Oak Hill Academy is No. 9 nationally, according to Divens. ESPN’s top 25, meanwhile, has Mintz’s team at No. 8.

Let’s see where another Syracuse basketball signee’s squad is rated.

Orange 2022 commit Chris Bunch, a four-star small forward, played his senior stanza for the Wasatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, Utah, a group that is also a part of the elite NIBC.

The Wasatch Academy, per Divens, was 14-10 during the 2021-22 term, although Bunch’s team certainly did face a ton of top-flight competition this season. Divens has the Wasatch Academy ranked at No. 12 across the country.

The La Lumiere School in La Porte, Ind., had a 20-5 mark in 2021-22. This team, a NIBC member that played in the 2022 GEICO Nationals, finished No. 5 nationally according to MaxPreps and at No. 6, per ESPN.

Aden Holloway, a 2023 four-star point guard who received a ‘Cuse scholarship offer back in the summer of 2019, suits up for the La Lumiere School. He was recently named the NIBC 6th man of the year and placed on the All-Conference third team.

The Montverde Academy (24-4) in Montverde, Fla., triumphed in the 2022 GEICO Nationals and finished No. 1 according to both MaxPreps and ESPN.

Two players within the Montverde Academy line-up are 2023 five-star forward Kwame Evans Jr. and 2024 five-star power forward Derik Queen, both of whom obtained Syracuse basketball offers last October.

Evans, who at one time said that the Orange was heavily involved in his recruitment, recently released his group of five finalists. Queen, in his sophomore stanza, could have a way to go in his recruiting process.

In ESPN’s poll, Camden High School in Camden, N.J., is No. 11, while Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx, N.Y., checks in at No. 22.

One of the stars for Camden High School (31-3) is 2023 five-star point guard D.J. Wagner, the consensus No. 1 prospect in the junior class who was offered by Syracuse basketball this past August.

A stand-out for Cardinal Hayes High School (26-3) is 2024 five-star wing Ian Jackson, who is a serious contender for the No. 1 position in this cycle. Jackson has reportedly received interest from the ‘Cuse coaching staff.