The annual Peach Jam tournament on Nike's EYBL circuit commenced on Saturday, with numerous Syracuse basketball targets set to vie for the coveted crown in the main 17U division during an NCAA live period.
Peach Jam runs from July 13 to July 21 in North Augusta, S.C. Currently, there is an evaluation period where college coaches can watch high school prospects in person from July 11 to July 14, with another live period next weekend.
I'll certainly track how Orange recruits fare at Peach Jam, and high school players for whom the 'Cuse staff is in attendance.
Two Syracuse basketball priority recruits who I'll discuss here are 2025 four-star guard Acaden Lewis from Washington, D.C., and 2025 four-star shooting guard Kiyan Anthony from New York City.
Syracuse basketball recruiting targets are competing in AAU events over the next week.
The 6-foot-5 Anthony suits up for the Baltimore-based Team Melo, while the 6-foot-3 Lewis does the same for the Oxon Hill, Md.-based Team Durant. Both recently scored top honors for their performances during the EYBL's regular season this past spring.
Team Durant and Team Melo didn't make the 24-squad Peach Jam field. Rather, they're both competing in a separate event called the Peach Invitational Tournament ("PIT").
On Saturday, per top writer Sam Lance and others, 'Cuse head coach Adrian Autry was on hand, along with many other college coaches, to watch Team Durant battle the Chicago-based Mac Irvin Fire.
It’s a packed house for a 12 p.m. showdown of @teamdurant_AAU vs. @TheMacIrvinFire.
— Sam Lance (@slancehoops) July 13, 2024
Head coaches include: Bruce Pearl, Hubert Davis, Shaka Smart, Tony Bennett, Rick Barnes, Eric Musselman, Adrian Autry, Steve Pikiell, Kevin Willard, Steve Lutz, Leonard Hamilton, Danny Sprinkle,… pic.twitter.com/6QnLm74u0D
In front of Autry, Lewis led Team Durant to an 85-69 triumph. Per a box score for this contest on the EYBL Web site, Lewis dropped 21 points, to go along with four rebounds and three assists. He was 8-of-19 from the field.
A few days ago, Lewis, a standout rising senior at the Sidwell Friends School in D.C., disclosed a top eight of Syracuse basketball, Kentucky, two-time defending national champion UConn, North Carolina, Duke, Tennessee, Michigan and Auburn.
He plans to officially visit the 'Cuse at some point, I've been told, and Lewis landed a scholarship offer from the program in late April of this year.
Anthony and Team Melo, on Saturday, defeated the Columbus, Ohio-based All Ohio Red by a final of 77-74. Anthony registered 16 points, three boards and three assists on 7-of-18 shooting from the field.
2024 Nike EYBL PIT Standout Players: All Ohio Red (OH) Versus Team Melo (MD):
— High Level Hoops (@highlevelhoops_) July 13, 2024
All Ohio Red (OH):
Dorian Jones (@DorianJones2214)
Arness Lawson (@Arness_Lawson)
Team Melo (MD):
Kiyan Anthony (@kiyananthony)
Tyrell Bowles (@tyrellbowles)
Jaitavius Kelly (@jaitavius)
I've been looking around on Saturday afternoon to determine whether the Orange staff was in attendance for Anthony at this game. I haven't seen anything official, although I'd be surprised if the 'Cuse wasn't in the house for him.
Team Melo and Team Durant will each be back in PIT action on Sunday and throughout the remainder of the coming week. These two groups are schedule to play one another on Friday, July 19, beginning at 7:30 pm EST.
Orange coaches have recruited Anthony, who attends Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville, N.Y., hard for a while now. The 'Cuse offered him a scholarship in November of 2022. Last October, Anthony went on an official visit to Syracuse basketball, and he's got some additional campus visits in mind for the coming months.