In the 2025-26 high school basketball campaign, CIA Bella Vista in Phoenix won the national championship after capturing the season-ending Chipotle Nationals in Fishers, Ind.
As Inside the Loud House has outlined in various stories of late, the new Syracuse basketball staff, led by first-year head coach Gerry McNamara, is recruiting CIA Bella Vista hard, having offered multiple prospects who will play for the Bears in the upcoming 2026-27 season, including one five-star wing/forward who will take an official visit to the Hill later this month.
This week, according to national analyst Sam Kayser, CIA Bella Vista has added two more four-star players to its roster for 2026-27, and when preseason top-25 rankings come out at the high school level, the Bears will likely be at, or near, the top.
NEWS: 4⭐️ prospect Carter George (@CG1____) is transferring to CIA Bella Vista (AZ) for the 2026-27 high school season, sources told @LeagueRDY.
— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) August 13, 2026
The 6-foot-7 guard is a four-star prospect and one of the top guards in the state of Michigan.
He joins four-star Jordan McDaniel,… pic.twitter.com/iZVxb0siMy
Those roster additions are 2028 four-star wing Carter George and 2029 four-star point guard Jordan
McDaniel, both of whom are transferring from Roseville High School in Roseville, Mich., near Detroit, to CIA Bella Vista.
NEWS: 2029 4⭐ prospect Jordan McDaniel is transferring to Bella Vista Prep (AZ) for the 2026-27 high school season, sources told @LeagueRDY.
— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) August 12, 2026
McDaniel is the top point guard in the state of Michigan and was named the EYBL 15U MVP this summer. He averaged 25PPG, 5RPG, 4APG and… pic.twitter.com/xzczvVbMYD
The 6-foot-6 George, per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, is No. 70 overall, No. 19 at small forward and No. 6 in Arizona, within his class. The 5-foot-10 McDaniel, in the 2029 cycle, is No. 46 nationally, No. 5 at point guard and No. 1 in Michigan, according to the industry-generated Rivals Industry Ranking.
Bella Vista College Prep is excited to welcome Josh Jones to the program. A 6’7” Class of 2028 G/F, Josh is an elite-level athlete with tremendous versatility and upside. Coming off a standout showing at Section 7, Josh recently picked up two high-major Division I offers. pic.twitter.com/xS55tKZsGj
— Bella Vista Prep (@BellaVistaHoops) June 23, 2026
In late June, per the program's X page, CIA Bella Vista also added 2028 wing Josh Jones, a 6-foot-7 guard/small forward. The Bears, by the way, compete in the loaded 15-team Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Scholastic ("EYBL Scholastic"), a super conference of sorts that features numerous Orange recruiting targets in the 2027 and 2028 classes.
Syracuse basketball is recruiting CIA Bella Vista hard these days.
In 2026-27, these four players who will suit up for CIA Bella Vista hold scholarship offers from the new Orange coaching staff:
•2027 five-star wing/forward Ahmed Nur
•2028 five-star point guard Liam Mitakaro
•2028 four-star forward Settimo Yugu
•2028 four-star forward Isaiah Clarke
The 2028 recruits mentioned above have a while to go in their recruiting processes, but keep an eye on the 6-foot-9, 190-pound Nur, who is a top-25 overall player in the high school senior class.
As Inside the Loud House has reported, Nur is one of several priority targets for the 'Cuse in the 2027 cycle. He will take an official visit to Syracuse basketball from August 28 to August 30, along with several other upcoming visits to other suitors.
Nur's recruitment skyrocketed earlier this summer when he won MVP at the prestigious NBPA Top 100 Camp in Rock Hill, S.C., with McNamara and other college coaches on hand to watch. In the latest AAU season, he suited up for the 17U team of the Milwaukee-based Power 5 in the Adidas 3SSB league.
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