Syracuse Basketball: 4-star recruits who could win national championship

A Syracuse basketball commit and numerous recruiting targets have their sights set on capturing the grand prize in high-school hoops at the GEICO Nationals come next spring.

Every year, the GEICO Nationals include eight teams that compete for a national championship in high-school basketball.

Experts, ahead of the upcoming 2023-24 season, have discussed various teams that are significant contenders to earn an invite to the 2024 GEICO Nationals, and those contenders have recruiting ties to the Orange.

Among those high-school prospects with a legitimate chance to cut down the nets at the next GEICO Nationals are Syracuse basketball 2024 commit Donnie Freeman, a four-star power forward, and Orange 2025 priority target Kiyan Anthony, a four-star shooting guard.

Keep an eye on these Syracuse basketball recruits as it relates to the 2024 GEICO Nationals.

This article is not meant to be an exhaustive list, but based on conversations I’ve had with high-school hoops analysts, as well as social media posts and media reports, there are several teams with Orange recruiting connections who could ultimately be in the running for the GEICO Nationals at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.

These powerhouse squads include St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Va., the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville, N.Y., the AZ Compass Prep School in Chandler, Ariz., and Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C.

Both St. Paul VI and Gonzaga suit up in the loaded Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (“WCAC”) within the talent-rich Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

St. Paul VI, a participant in the 2023 GEICO Nationals this past spring, has a 2023-24 roster that includes 2026 five-star shooting guard Jordan Smith Jr. and 2026 point guard Anthony Brown, both of whom hold offers from the Orange. Smith, by the way, has said that he has an interest in visiting the ‘Cuse at some point.

One of the standouts at Gonzaga is 2025 four-star combo guard Derek Dixon, who was offered by the Orange on June 15 of this year and took an official visit to the Hill a couple of weeks ago.

The 10-team National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (“NIBC”) is arguably the top league in high-school hoops, and its members are often big contenders to reach the GEICO Nationals.

In the 2023 GEICO Nationals, NIBC members that earned bids to this prestigious event included IMG, Long Island Lutheran and AZ Compass Prep.

Freeman, who verbally committed to Syracuse basketball in May, is spending his senior year at IMG after starring as a junior at St. John’s College High School in D.C., which is part of the WCAC.

In 2022-23, Long Island Lutheran finished second in the NIBC regular-season standings, in addition to its invitation to the 2023 GEICO Nationals. The Crusaders’ roster this season includes backcourt teammates Kiyan Anthony and 2025 four-star point guard Nigel James.

Anthony recently went on an official visit to the Orange. In mid-September, James officially visited Syracuse basketball as well.

AZ Compass Prep advanced to the championship game of the 2023 GEICO Nationals. The Dragons will, again this coming season, prove a huge contender to reach the GEICO Nationals.

On AZ Compass Prep’s 2023-24 roster is 2026 four-star guard Imahri Wooten from Troy, N.Y. In early October, he went on an unofficial visit to the ‘Cuse, around which time he received a scholarship offer from the Syracuse basketball coaching staff.