Syracuse Basketball: City Rocks recruit one of biggest stock risers in class

Syracuse basketball recruiting target Elijah Gertrude, a three-star combo guard in the 2023 class who only recently received a scholarship offer from the Orange, has already made his way into the top-150 nationally in his cycle according to multiple recruiting services.

But as recruiting Web sites like 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals.com and On3 update their national ratings for the rising-senior class down the line, look for the 6-foot-3 Gertrude to make a huge leap.

Based on his play of late in grassroots basketball, coupled with his strong junior year for a prep-school squad in New Jersey, Gertrude should evolve into a four-star, top-100 prospect in the 2023 cycle. He could end up even higher than the top 100 when all is said and done.

Gertrude, on the AAU circuit, suits up for the Albany City Rocks in Nike’s EYBL league, which last weekend held a round of games in Kansas City, Mo., amid an NCAA live period.

New Syracuse basketball target Elijah Gertrude has been on a tear in grassroots hoops.

In Kansas City, according to the EYBL Web site, theseasonticket.com and Gertrude’s Twitter page, in his six games, Gertrude tallied 28 points, 16 points, 15 points, 13 points, 13 points and 12 points.

A rising senior at Hudson Catholic Regional High School in Jersey City, N.J., Gertrude was named a stand-out in Kansas City by a bunch of national recruiting analysts and scouts.

Besides the Orange, Gertrude holds offers from teams such as Virginia, St. Bonaventure, Seton Hall, Pittsburgh, St. John’s, Iona, Saint Peter’s, Rutgers and Temple.

According to media reports, Gertrude has made unofficial visits to both Rutgers and Seton Hall. He’s taken an official visit to St. John’s and plans to officially visit Virginia at the end of July.

Eric Bossi, the national basketball director for 247Sports, recently watched Gertrude play in Kansas City. The analyst says that Gertrude’s national ranking from 247Sports inside the top 150 could be “just the tip of the iceberg.”

"Bossi, who says Gertrude is likely to pick up other high-major offers in the near future, wrote in part about this Syracuse basketball recruit, “When the 2023 rankings get updated after the summer, Gertrude has put himself into excellent position to move to four-star status and he could be one of the bigger movers in the rankings if he keeps things up for the rest of the month.”"