Late last month, Syracuse women's basketball got on the board with its 2027 high school class when New York point guard Josephine Pinnock verbally committed to the Orange over Seton Hall, Hofstra and Stony Brook.
The 5-foot-10 Pinnock, although not nationally ranked at this juncture, is deemed one of the top seniors in the Empire State. Zach Smart, a top New York-based analyst and scout who has extensively tracked high school hoops for years, spoke with Inside the Loud House to learn a bit more about what Pinnock will bring to head coach Felisha Legette-Jack's program in the 2027-28 campaign.
"She is as powerful a downhill threat as there is at this level," Smart says. "Her IQ and awareness translate to her turning in crucial plays and scoring timely buckets. She can steer big defenders away from the rim with a smooth, reliable jumper."
Pinnock is a standout rising senior at Christ the King High School in Middle Village, N.Y. In the 2025-26 campaign, as a junior, she averaged 19.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game and received New York State Catholic High School Athletic Association ("CHSAA") AAA player of the year honors.
Syracuse women's basketball is targeting the nation's No. 1 senior, too.
The Orange staff entered Pinnock's recruitment a bit later than other 2027 prospects. She picked up a scholarship offer from the 'Cuse in July when she unofficially visited SU. Last month, as Inside the Loud House first reported, Pinnock took an official visit to Syracuse women's basketball.
Christ the King was a state runner-up in Pinnock's junior season, when she also resided on the New York State Sportswriters Association ("NYSSWA") All-State first team in the AAA division.
Added Smart: "The onus is on (Pinnock) to lead by example for a storied NYC power and a longtime national power at CTK. She embodies all of the attributes of a NYC kid with her grittiness, versatility, and hyper-competitive mentality. She will additionally show this season just how versatile her game is."
With Pinnock pledged to the Orange, the 'Cuse coaching staff is turning its attention to other 2027 recruits. One is five-star point guard Kaleena Smith, the nation's No. 1 overall prospect in the senior class, who conducted an in-home visit not too long ago with Legette-Jack, Inside the Loud House first reported.
Smith was the national player of the year as a junior, per MaxPreps, and she attends the juggernaut Ontario Christian School in Ontario, Calif., near Los Angeles.
Also last month, four-star guard Chance Berry took an official visit to the Orange, and she has SU in her top eight. Berry will spend her senior season at the powerhouse DME Academy in Daytona Beach, Fla.
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