Nike’s EYBL circuit wrapped up last weekend at the annual Peach Jam tournament, with Syracuse basketball 2024 four-star commit Donnie Freeman capturing a 17U championship as a member of the Washington, D.C.-based Team Takeover.
I’ve covered in several recent articles how the 6-foot-9 power forward and several Orange recruiting targets were honored for their performances during the week-long Peach Jam at the Riverview Park Activities Center in North Augusta, S.C.
At the same time, beyond Peach Jam, the EYBL league held four regular-season sessions in April and May, including amid NCAA live periods in late April when the ‘Cuse coaching staff watched Freeman and numerous recruits on the Nike circuit.
Courtesy of the EYBL Web site, I came across various data for this league’s most recent regular season, and several Syracuse basketball four-star and five-star targets popped up among the leaders in these statistical categories. Let’s have a look.
Syracuse basketball four-star and five-star recruits had strong EYBL regular seasons.
17U Division
Jalil Bethea
2024 five-star guard for the Philadelphia-based Team Final (won the EYBL regular-season crown in this division)
18.6 points per game, tied for No. 10 overall
Mikey Lewis
2024 four-star point guard for the Oakland, Calif.-based Oakland Soldiers
18.1 points per game, No. 14 overall
Jerry Easter II
2025 five-star point guard for the Columbus, Ohio-based All Ohio Red (played up a division)
17.4 points per game, No. 17 overall
16U Division
Tyler Jackson
2025 five-star point guard for the Baltimore-based Team Melo (only played one session)
30.0 points per game, No. 1 overall
1.8 steals per game, tied for No. 5 overall
Cam Ward
2025 four-star wing for the Oxon Hill, Md.-based Team Durant
19.5 points per game, No. 8 overall
8.1 rebounds per game, No. 6 overall
Darius Adams
2025 four-star combo guard for the Bronx, N.Y.-based PSA Cardinals
1.4 steals per game, tied for No. 19 overall
Brandon Stores Jr.
2025 four-star wing for the New York City-based NY Renaissance
19.8 points per game, tied for No. 6 overall
Sadiq White
2025 five-star forward for the Charlotte, N.C.-based Team United
1.2 blocks per game, tied for No. 15 overall
The Orange offered a scholarship to Bethea in September of 2022. Lewis, Jackson, Ward and White were offered by the ‘Cuse in late April of this year. Easter picked up a Syracuse basketball offer in July of 2022, while Adams was offered in August of last year. Stores got his Orange offer in February of 2022.