Syracuse promotes itself as “New York’s College Team.” St. John’s feels it at least controls the city since Steve Lavin took over three years ago and injected life into the dormant program.
After this season, with Syracuse moving to the ACC, the bitter foes won’t have a basketball court to determine bragging rights, but that doesn’t mean the rivalry is ending. It’s just going to a different platform: the tangled world of recruiting.
The two coaching staffs are targeting similar elite prospects in the next two recruiting classes, impact recruits who all could end up in the NBA at some point.
Both programs are eyeing current seniors Rysheed Jordan, a dynamic point guard from Vaux High School in Philadelphia, and 6-foot-10 combo forward Jermaine Lawrence of Queens and Pope John XXIII in New Jersey. They are also heavily involved in Brooklyn shooting guard Isaiah Whitehead of famed Lincoln High School in Coney Island and uber-talented Bronx forward Chris McCullough, who attends prep powerhouse Brewster Academy (N.H.).
“They’re similar in the way they both kind of know their style of play and zero in on kids that fit that style,” said Team SCAN AAU director Terrence “Munch” Williams, a local power broker who coaches McCullough in the spring and summer. “When they locate those kids, they do a great job of going after them.”
Williams said the schools aren’t over-aggressive in terms of contact, but do keep in contact with kids and coaches through phone calls, text-messages and attending games and/or practices.
“They both give you some room to breathe,” he said.
At this point, it seems Syracuse leads St. John’s for the 6-foot-10 McCullough and Whitehead, while the two others, Jordan and Lawrence, seem to be toss-ups.
McCullough recently said Syracuse is his leader before backpedaling and listing St. John’s, Syracuse and West Virginia at the top of his list, and the Orange have already been to Brewster five times this fall.
“That’s how I know a school is serious about me,” he said.
Whitehead, a pure-scoring 6-foot-4 guard, likewise has said he favors Syracuse, and Orange alum Carmelo Anthony of the Knicks is his favorite player. His mother, Ericka Rambert, said Syracuse has made clear its desire to land Whitehead while St. John’s hasn’t “communicated” quite as much.
“Syracuse came on strong, they said they wanted Isaiah from the start,” she said. “I was impressed by Boeheim coming to Lincoln.”
The recruiting rivalry likely won’t end with these four players, either. Syracuse likes to dip into the city for top players, and Lavin has made a point of trying to keep the area’s top players at home, as he did with Queens product Moe Harkless. Additionally, the Orange have made a habit of plucking top players from the Philadelphia area while Johnnies assistant and recruiting dynamo Tony Chiles is well-versed in the City of Brotherly of Love, having made his bones as an assistant at Drexel.
Before Lavin arrived in Queens three years ago, St. John’s wasn’t able to go toe-to-toe with Syracuse, but he’s reinvigorated the fan base and has successfully recruited top-notch classes each of the last two years.
Syracuse arguably has more to offer as it is moving to the ACC, the all-but-assumed top basketball conference in the country. The Orange is a perennial title contender with a history of success and it routinely packs the Carrier Dome, an easy selling point for recruits.
While Lavin has yet to win at St. John’s beyond reaching the NCAA Tournament in his first season, he’s done a phenomenal job luring top prospects, from locals kids such as Harkless and current freshman Chris Obekpa to national prospects like JaKarr Sampson and D’Angelo Harrison.
“I see that as a trend,” said one Division I coach familiar with the local landscape and both staffs regarding their newfound recruiting rivalry. “They’re both recruiting at such a high level. They’re pretty distinct different options, the style of play is different, location is different and conference is going to be different.”
One thing that isn’t different is the players they’re targeting.
* St. John’s has now whiffed on two recent targets. A few weeks ago, Ish Wainwright of Montrose Christian (Md.) picked Baylor over the Johnnies, and Thursday elite forward Jarell Martin of Madison Prep (La.) spurned the Red Storm for LSU.
Roselle Catholic (N.J.) swingman Tyler Roberson has cut his list to three: Kansas, Syracuse and Villanova. The highly ranked 6-foot-7 wing, ranked 14th among small forwards by Scout.com, has visited all three schools officially and plans to commit soon.
Florida International commit Jaquan “Son Son” Lynch, a combo guard from Thomas Jefferson in Brooklyn, is on an official visit to his future school this weekend.