Syracuse basketball 4-star recruits help propel NY's Stepinac into national top 25

In two sets of national top-25 rankings in high school hoops, various Syracuse basketball commits and recruiting targets are highly placed.

This week, MaxPreps and ESPN, per its recruiting director Paul Biancardi, unveiled their latest top-25 ratings in high school basketball.

These updated rankings come after Orange signees and recruits, from January 16 to January 20, competed at an ultra-high level, earning praise from national analysts and scouts, at the annual Spalding Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.

Syracuse basketball commits and targets are playing for highly ranked teams.

MaxPreps moved Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, N.Y., into its national rankings at No. 25 overall. The Crusaders are 14-3 after beating the St. Peter's Boys High School from Staten Island, N.Y., by a final of 75-59 on Tuesday evening.

Two standouts for Archbishop Stepinac are 2026 four-star power forward/center Darius Ratliff and his brother, 2026 four-star big man Adonis Ratliff, both of whom are garnering interest from the 'Cuse staff, per recent media reports.

In late August of last year, the Ratliff brothers took an unofficial visit to the Hill to play in the Orange's annual Elite Camp. Other Archbishop Stepinac players who were at the Elite Camp include 2026 four-star wing Hassan Koureissi and 2027 guard/wing Josh Rivera.

St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Va., is No. 14 via MaxPreps and No. 18 from ESPN. On Tuesday night, St. Paul VI notched a strong win in Washington Catholic Athletic Conference competition over DeMatha Catholic High School from Hyattsville, Md.

St. Paul VI is led by All-American Jordan Smith Jr., a 2026 five-star shooting guard and priority recruit for Syracuse basketball in this cycle. Smith, who unofficially visited the Orange last September, tallied 18 points in the victory over DeMatha.

Five-star forward Sadiq White Jr., a 'Cuse 2025 signee, is a senior at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. IMG went 0-2 at the recent Spalding Hoophall Classic, although the Ascenders still check in at No. 5 nationally, according to Biancardi.

Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville, N.Y., which won two games against top-flight foes at the Spalding Hoophall Classic, is No. 10 in the latest top 25 from ESPN. Long Island Lutheran's 2024-25 roster features Syracuse basketball 2025 four-star commit Kiyan Anthony and two 'Cuse recruiting targets, 2026 five-star point guard Dylan Mingo and 2027 four-star wing/forward Moussa Kamissoko.

Last but certainly not least, CIA Bella Vista in Phoenix, one of the hottest high school programs around the country of late, arrives at No. 9 overall, per ESPN. Four members of the CIA Bella Vista 2024-25 roster hold scholarship offers from the Orange coaching staff.

They are 2026 four-star point guard Miles Sadler, 2027 five-star big man Paul Osaruyi, 2026 four-star guard Rokiem Green and 2026 four-star center Aliou Dioum.