Last weekend, amid the second of two NCAA live periods on the AAU circuit during April, supremely athletic Canadian wing Efeosa Oliogu, who holds a Syracuse basketball offer, was sensational, according to recruiting analysts and scouts.
In fact, a reasonable case could be made that the 2025 four-star guard/small forward was the best all-around player this past weekend in the live period across all three of the main shoe-sponsored AAU leagues.
The 6-foot-6 Oliogu, who picked up a scholarship offer from the Orange last August when he competed in the team’s annual Elite Camp, recorded some massive scoring performances last weekend as he starred for the 17U squad of the Toronto-based Canada Elite in the Under Armour Association league.
— Efeosa Oliogu (@efeosaoliogu11) May 1, 2023
Oliogu, rated in the top 40 overall of his class by several recruiting services, is a sophomore at the United Scholastic Academy in Toronto.
Syracuse basketball faces growing competition for 2025 four-star wing Efeosa Oliogu from Canada.
While many 2025 prospects are playing this grassroots basketball season with their 16U AAU teams, Oliogu is playing up with Canada Elite’s 17U group.
In the most recent April live period, the Under Armour Association held games at the Rock Hill Sports and Event Center in Rock Hill, S.C. Per the Under Armour Association Web site, in Canada Elite’s five contests, Oliogu scored 22, 19, 26, 21 and 16 points.
‘25 6’6 @Canada_Elite G @efeosaoliogu11 had a game-high 26p in a win over SOH Elite
— OWE Hoops (@owe_hoops) April 29, 2023
Playing up for 2nd year w/ 17u, never seems to get sped up+plays the game at a controlled pace. Hit two 3s, had at least 4 dunks to close out the game, solid defensively @UANextBHoops |@pr0ia pic.twitter.com/vLyAW0xKr5
Jacey Zembal of Rivals.com named Oliogu his MVP for last weekend’s slate of Under Armour Association encounters.
"Adam Finkelstein, the director of scouting for 247Sports, watched Oliogu in person in Rock Hill. He wrote of this Orange recruit, “Efeosa Oliogu had some of the most impressive individuals plays of the weekend. Another big wing, he got downhill as well as anyone in the field and had an unmatched combination of explosive vertical athleticism and sheer power. Whether he was rising-up to catch lobs or punctuating a hard straight-line drive, he rattled the rim on more than one occasion. The Canada Elite product also has body control and dexterity in his finishing package, and … shows some signs of being able to facilitate for those around him.”"
College coaches can initiate direct communication with 2025 prospects starting in mid-June of this year, and I envision Oliogu’s list of suitors really blowing up at that time, if not sooner.
Even still, his early offer sheet, besides Syracuse basketball, includes teams such as Oregon, Alabama, Maryland, Illinois, Georgetown, Old Dominion, UCF, Vanderbilt, Texas Tech, Rutgers, Washington State, TCU, Providence, DePaul, Mississippi State and Seton Hall, among others.
When I wrote this column, On3 had Oliogu ranked as four stars, No. 11 overall and No. 4 at small forward in his cycle. He is close to five stars via this recruiting service.
The industry-generated On3 Industry Ranking placed him as four stars, No. 38 overall and No. 9 at small forward. And 247Sports had Oliogu as four stars, No. 40 overall and No. 9 at small forward.