Syracuse Basketball: 4-star Kiyan Anthony, Christ the King vault into top 20

The 2022-23 season for high schools, prep schools and independent basketball academies is getting underway this month, and one team that we’re keeping a close eye on – due to an intriguing Syracuse basketball connection – is the famed Christ the King Regional High School in Middle Village, N.Y.

Christ the King, according to high-school hoops analysts and journalists, is expected to be among the best squads around the country in 2022-23.

And one member of the Royals’ roster is 2025 four-star prospect Kiyan Anthony, a 6-foot-3 shooting guard who is the son of former Orange legend Carmelo Anthony.

In a new set of early top-25 national rankings for the 2022-23 stanza from high-school basketball analyst and scout Samad Hines, he has Christ the King checking in at No. 20 overall. The Royals, by the way, went 15-11 a stanza ago, per Hines.

Four-star SG Kiyan Anthony, who holds Syracuse basketball interest, competes for a legendary high-school program.

Another key member of the Christ the King roster in 2022-23 is 2024 four-star wing Dwayne Pierce.

This 6-foot-5 shooting guard/small forward, a top-100 player in the junior class, has apparently received interest from the Orange coaching staff at one time or another, per some media reports.

Speaking of ‘Cuse interest, Kiyan Anthony recently told 247Sports that he is garnering interest from Syracuse basketball coaches, and I certainly could see the Orange ultimately offering him.

A top-65 national prospect and a top-15 shooting guard in the sophomore cycle according to 247Sports, Anthony holds early offers in his recruiting process from squads such as Memphis, Bryant, George Mason and Manhattan.

According to reports and social-media posts, other college groups showing interest in him include Illinois, Penn State, St. John’s and Morgan State, among others.

Christ the King, I’d imagine, will play many quality opponents in the 2022-23 stanza. One juicy foe for the Royals, on December 12, will be the Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth, Calif.

Anthony and his Christ the King teammates will head to the west coast to battle the Sierra Canyon School, another excellent unit with a line-up that features 2023 four-star guard Bronny James, who is the son of NBA superstar LeBron James.