CIA Bella Vista in Phoenix won the high school national championship this past season, and the new Syracuse basketball staff is pursuing multiple players from this program across the 2027, 2028 and 2029 classes.
The latest scholarship offer, per his Instagram page, has gone out to 2028 four-star forward Isaiah Clarke, who hails from Canada. The 6-foot-7 hybrid small forward/power forward will spend the upcoming 2026-27 season at CIA Bella Vista, which is part of the loaded Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Scholastic ("EYBL Scholastic").
Previously, he suited up for the Crestwood Preparatory College in Toronto, where Clarke played alongside 2028 five-star wing Isaiah Hamilton, who also holds a 'Cuse offer and has transferred to the powerhouse Montverde Academy in Montverde, Fla.
This past April, in the championship game of the Chipotle Nationals in Fishers, Ind., CIA Bella Vista defeated Montverde to win the high school national title. CIA Bella Vista went 26-4 overall in the 2025-26 stanza, and the Bears were the unanimous No. 1 team around the country.
Syracuse basketball has gotten into the mix for 2028 four-star forward Isaiah Clarke.
Besides the Orange, Clarke's full scholarship offer sheet includes schools such as Long Island University, Georgia Tech, UNLV, Florida State, New Mexico, St. Bonaventure, University of Illinois Chicago and Providence.
Other CIA Bella Vista players who have received a scholarship offer from the new SU staff under first-year head coach Gerry McNamara are:
•2027 four-star big man Ahmed Nur
•2028 five-star point guard Liam Mitakaro
•2028 four-star forward Settimo Yugu
•2029 big man Mamadou Issa Sow
On the Under Armour Association ("UAA") circuit this spring and summer, Clarke is competing for the 16U team of the Toronto-based Canada Elite. So far, Canada Elite is 7-1, with Hamilton also on this team's roster.
For Canada Elite, Clarke is averaging 18.13 points, 4.75 rebounds and 1.63 assists per game while connecting on 52 percent from the field, 30 percent from beyond the arc and 77 percent from the free-throw line.
Within the 2028 class, the industry-generated 247Sports Composite places Clarke at No. 85 overall, No. 12 at power forward and No. 1 in Ontario. Over at the industry-generated Rivals Industry Ranking, he is No. 92 nationally, No 23 at small forward and No. 1 in Edmonton.
The 2028 contact period opened on June 15, enabling the Orange staff to start initiating direct communication with rising high school juniors. McNamara and his assistants have doled out numerous offers to 2028 prospects, while showing interest in other rising juniors.
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