The Syracuse basketball staff is expected at a top-shelf high school showcase this weekend in New York City that will feature various four-star and five-star recruiting targets.
Per a source, Orange assistant coach Brenden Straughn, an excellent recruiter, is planning to be in attendance at the 2025 Jordan Holiday Classic, which is taking place on Saturday and Sunday at Achievement First High School in Brooklyn, N.Y.
I wrote about this event earlier on Saturday. Click here to see the match-ups that pertain to 'Cuse recruiting targets.
While I don't know which specific games Straughn plans to watch, I have a good feeling that he will be in for the Orange's top target in the 2026 high school senior cycle.
The Syracuse basketball staff is on hand at the Jordan Holiday Classic.
On Sunday, Dec. 28, at 1:30 pm, with coverage on NBA TV, Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville, N.Y., will square off against St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, Va., in a battle of two elite teams.
At Long Island Lutheran, 2027 five-star wing/small forward Moussa Kamissoko holds a 'Cuse scholarship offer, which he received about a year ago. St. Paul VI is led by All-American Jordan Smith Jr., a 2026 five-star shooting guard who is the Orange's top target in this class.
Smith picked up an offer from Syracuse basketball in early May of 2023, and the 'Cuse has recruited him hard ever since. Straughn, who has deep recruiting connections to the DMV, is extremely close with Smith, who has unofficially visited the Hill twice and has the Orange in his top six. I'd be stunned if Straughn wasn't in attendance for Smith and St. Paul VI on Sunday afternoon.
Also on Sunday, at 10:00 am on NBA TV, the Mt. Zion Preparatory Academy in Lanham, Md., will go toe to toe against the Link Academy in Branson, Mo. A standout at Mt. Zion Prep is 2027 five-star forward and top-10 national prospect Zion Green.
@Cuse_MBB brought the HC and whole staff out today to watch Mt. Zion HS teams Top 30 prospect @ziongreen05 and others workout!! pic.twitter.com/i454RyBPuq
— Lafayette Dublin (@Coach__Laf) October 2, 2025
Green, the top 2027 target for the 'Cuse, unofficially visited Syracuse basketball in late August of this year. On October 1, Straughn and the rest of the Orange coaching staff visited Green during an open gym at Mt. Zion Prep.
Another guy to potentially monitor here is 2027 four-star big man Theo Edema, who officially visited the 'Cuse in September. He stars at the Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, Mass., which on Sunday at 6:30 pm will play the Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J.
At Blair, 2028 four-star guard Ian Archbold holds an Orange scholarship offer. He secured it in mid-July of this year.