Syracuse Basketball: Baltimore 5-star PG erupts in AAU, eyes Orange visit

Syracuse basketball (Syndication: The Commercial Appeal)
Syracuse basketball (Syndication: The Commercial Appeal)

Syracuse basketball 2025 recruiting target Tyler Jackson shifted from the Under Armour Association league to Nike’s EYBL league this weekend, and in his first two games, the 6-foot-3, five-star point guard absolutely destroyed the competition.

The EYBL is holding its fourth and final regular-season session this weekend, in preparation for early July’s Peach Jam tournament, at the Memphis Sports & Events Center in Memphis, Tenn.

Earlier this spring in grassroots basketball, Jackson had proven excellent for the Baltimore-based Team Thrill in the Under Armour Association league. In fact, he played a key role in Team Thrill capturing the 16U spring championship in late April amid NCAA live periods on the AAU circuit.

https://twitter.com/NikeEYB/status/1662614574388969475

This weekend, though, Jackson is suiting up in EYBL contests alongside another priority recruit for the ‘Cuse, 2025 four-star shooting guard Kiyan Anthony, for the Baltimore-based Team Melo (16U). Both Jackson and Anthony played quite well in Team Melo’s first two encounters on Saturday, when the squad went 1-1.

Syracuse basketball offered a scholarship to 2025 five-star PG Tyler Jackson in late April.

In Team Melo’s first game on Saturday, a two-point setback to the Overland Park, Kan.-based MoKan Elite, Jackson was on the court for 32 minutes. He connected on 14-of-27 from the field, 6-of-11 from beyond the arc, and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe.

Jackson, in his EYBL debut this spring, tallied a ridiculous 39 points, eight rebounds, one assist and two blocks. The 6-foot-5 Anthony, by the way, chipped in 17 points, two rebounds, five assists and three steals.

In Team Melo’s second affair, an 83-74 victory over the Chicago-based Meanstreets, Jackson was equally as sensational. In 30 minutes, he produced 36 points, one rebound, two assists, one block and two steals.

He hit on 13-of-22 from the field, 4-of-10 from 3-point land and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line. Anthony had 15 points, four rebounds and one assist here.

Naturally, numerous national recruiting analysts and scouts dished out high praise to Jackson (and Anthony) for their EYBL performances on Saturday. Jackson had a strong 2022-23 season for the Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore, as he was named as a sophomore to the Baltimore Catholic League’s All-Conference second team, and the Panthers captured the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (“MIAA”) A Conference title.

Besides Syracuse basketball, Jackson’s early offer sheet includes Kansas, Alabama, Maryland, Illinois, Rutgers, Seton Hall, DePaul, George Mason, Georgia Tech, Rhode Island, Houston, Penn State and UCF, among others.

In a recent interview with scouting service Pro Insight, Jackson said that he’s working on setting up some campus visits, and the Orange is likely one of the schools that he will visit. He noted in that interview that Kentucky is his dream school, and he would like to see the Wildcats get involved in his recruitment.

Jackson is a top-20 overall player in the 2025 cycle, per several recruiting services. ESPN presently ranks him as a top-10 national prospect and the No. 1 point guard around the country in the rising-junior cycle.