Syracuse Orange news: Melo’s 4-star son vs. 5-star Boogie Fland, more

This Sunday evening, there will be an enticing battle of New York high-school teams that features two really intriguing Syracuse Orange basketball recruiting connections.

Per the MaxPreps Web site, beginning at 8 pm on January 22, Christ the King Regional High School in Middle Village, N.Y., will host Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, N.Y.

A standout junior for Archbishop Stepinac is 2024 five-star point guard Boogie Fland, who recently received a scholarship offer from the ‘Cuse coaching staff. The 6-foot-3 Fland, who has a flood of high-major offers, and his family have been in touch with businessman and top SU booster Adam Weitsman about a combined multi-year, seven-figure name, image and likeness agreement.

Last November, Syracuse Orange basketball coaches offered 2025 four-star shooting guard Kiyan Anthony. The 6-foot-3 sophomore, the son of ‘Cuse legend Carmelo Anthony, attends Christ the King.

We’ll definitely keep tabs on how this showdown of high-quality squads in the Empire State goes.

Other Syracuse Orange news

Syracuse football staff members to help with recruiting
The traditional national signing day for 2023 high-school prospects is coming up on February 1, and Syracuse Orange football coaches continue to hit the recruiting trail.

To that end, per a report from Emily Leiker of Syracuse.com, two ‘Cuse staff members are helping out with the program’s off-campus recruiting efforts on a temporary basis given various recent coaching departures from the team.

Leiker writes that those two Syracuse Orange football staff members are Travis Greene, an offensive analyst, and Khalil Ahmad, who is the squad’s director of high school relations.

Most recently, defensive passing game coordinator Nick Monroe left the ‘Cuse to become the co-defensive coordinator at Minnesota. Former offensive coordinator Robert Anae and former defensive coordinator Tony White also moved on from SU to take the same positions at N.C. State and Nebraska, respectively.

NCAA/recruiting news

LaNorris Sellers, and what could have been
To me, I think that Syracuse Orange football has solid depth at the quarterback position heading into the 2023 season, although we all were bummed when 2023 four-star quarterback LaNorris Sellers flipped his commitment from the ‘Cuse to his home-state team, South Carolina, last month.

The 6-foot-2 Sellers was absolutely masterful in his recently completed senior season, as he put up ridiculous numbers, won a ton of big honors, and led his squad, South Florence High School in Florence, S.C., to the Class AAAA state championship.

Sellers had given a verbal commitment to the ‘Cuse in March of 2022. But South Carolina got involved with him much later on in his recruitment, offering Sellers in October. Understandably, playing in the Southeastern Conference and close to home appealed to Sellers, and he switched his commitment to the Gamecocks.

Well, recruiting service On3 updated its 2023 player rankings a few days ago, and Sellers made a massive move. On3 now has him ranked No. 95 across the country, No. 8 at quarterback and No. 2 in South Carolina within the senior cycle.

I wish LaNorris Sellers nothing but the best, but it really stings that Syracuse Orange football ultimately missed out on such a highly rated high-school prospect.