Syracuse Basketball: 4-star, 5-star recruits at elite prep schools praised by top scout

Numerous Syracuse basketball four-star and five-star recruits have gotten off to strong starts for their prep-school programs residing throughout the Northeast region, and a top national scout recently highlighted these Orange targets.

Adam Finkelstein, the director of scouting at 247Sports, recently was in attendance for a couple of showcase events where top prep schools in New England and the greater Northeast corridor were competing.

Finkelstein, not too long ago, published an in-depth piece on a variety of players from these prep teams, and multiple ‘Cuse recruiting targets were featured in his article.

Among the Orange recruits who were discussed in Finkelstein’s story were 2026 four-star point guard Deron Rippey Jr., 2025 five-star wing Joson Sanon, 2025 four-star small forward London Jemison and 2025 three-star point guard Keyshuan Tillery.

Syracuse basketball targets get some love from a top national scout.

The 6-foot-2 Rippey, a top-25 national prospect, is a sophomore at the Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J. He was offered by the Orange in late August.

Not too long ago, as I first reported, Syracuse basketball assistant coach Allen Griffin was in attendance to watch Rippey at the New Jersey Hoop Recruit Classic in Roselle, N.J., according to Rippey's dad.

Finkelstein said in part that Rippey “has been one of the underclassmen guards in the prep ranks, who has been able to distinguish himself against older players.”

The 6-foot-6 Sanon, a ridiculously athletic shooting guard/small forward, was offered by the ‘Cuse in late October. He is a standout junior at the Vermont Academy in Saxtons River, Vt., with some recruiting Web sites ranking Sanon as a top-15 overall player in his class.

Finkelstein noted that there may be a possibility Sanon could reclass up to the 2024 cycle. Candidly, I’m not sure how much of a contender the Orange is for Sanon these days.

The 247Sports scout wrote that Sanon is “a multi-level scorer who has a very established mid-range pull-up game and is also gradually extending that range to become a threat from behind the arc. He has a true jump shot, with good elevation into his release, and is also capable of putting some pressure on the rim, albeit typically more in the open floor than half-court.”

A 6-foot-8, top-125 national prospect in the 2025 class, Jemison picked up a ‘Cuse scholarship offer in late September. On3 national analyst Jamie Shaw has reported that Jemison plans to take an official visit to Syracuse basketball on December 30.

“Jemison has a versatile combination of tools, ranging from his athleticism and mobility to his motor, developing skill, and budding two-way versatility. He’s still putting all the pieces together and learning how to consistently make his presence felt, while simultaneously working to be a more consistent shooter, but looks poised to keep improving,” Finkelstein wrote.

National analysts and scouts praise the 6-foot-1 Tillery for his impressive leadership traits. Tillery, an Albany, N.Y., native, was offered by the Orange in late August, around the time that he competed in the team’s annual Elite Camp.

A top-150 overall player in the 2025 cycle per multiple recruiting Web sites, Tillery is a star for the New Hampton School in New Hampton, N.H.

As Finkelstein said, Tillery “was one of the standouts at the (recently held) National Prep Showcase to start the season and has continued to put up big numbers, and drive winning, in the weeks since.”