Syracuse basketball 5-star PG recruit drains buzz-beater to stun 4-star commit's team

A showcase event over the weekend in New York, packed with Syracuse basketball recruiting ties, certainly did not disappoint.

I noted in a column on Saturday that Orange general manager Alex Kline had been in attendance on Friday night at the Bob McKillop Invitational to watch numerous 'Cuse commits and recruiting targets.

Action from this annual event on Saturday evening was fabulous, too, with a Syracuse basketball five-star recruit stealing the show. Let's explore some headlines.

Syracuse basketball commits and targets played at a high level this weekend.

In the main event on Saturday night, top-10 national teams the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., and Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville, N.Y., went toe to toe. Long Island Lutheran served as the host school for this year's Bob McKillop Invitational, by the way.

Dylan Mingo, a 2026 five-star point guard who has received interest from the Orange coaching staff, nailed a 3-pointer near the buzzer to lead Long Island Lutheran to a 68-65 victory over IMG. Mingo finished with 14 points and was 4-of-5 from deep.

For Long Island Lutheran, Syracuse basketball 2025 signee Kiyan Anthony, a four-star shooting guard, tallied a team-high 15 points. Moussa Kamissoko, a 2027 four-star wing/forward who holds a 'Cuse scholarship offer, added seven points, three rebounds, one block and two steals for the Crusaders.

In IMG's setback, Orange 2025 commit Sadiq White Jr., a four-star forward, collected 13 points, six boards, two assists and one steal. Over the weekend at the Bob McKillop Invitational, Long Island Lutheran went 2-0, while IMG went 0-2.

Also at this event, CIA Bella Vista in Phoenix sported two victories, defeating IMG in double overtime on Friday night and then beating top-25 Oak Hill Academy from Mouth of Wilson, Va., by a final of 71-57, on Saturday evening.

In the triumph over Oak Hill, 2026 four-star point guard Miles Sadler poured in 22 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals. Sadler is one of four CIA Bella Vista players who, in late October of last year, picked up offers from Syracuse basketball.

Sadler was easily the best player at the Bob McKillop Invitational. All of the programs that participated are members of the 14-team Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Scholastic (“EYBL Scholastic”).

Currently, CIA Bella Vista leads the EYBL Scholastic. The Bears, IMG and Long Island Lutheran are all significant contenders for the eight-team Chipotle Nationals that will transpire in early April in Fishers, Ind., and ultimately crown a national champion in high school hoops.