Author: Damon Amendolara
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This School is the Favorite to Land Donovan Clingan
He’s 7’1″ and only a junior in high school. Donovan Clingan has natural size and athleticism to make him a highly coveted prospect. He’s a top-50 player in his Class of ’22, and has narrowed his final list to eight schools. Syracuse is one of those eight. For the Bristol, Connecticut product, Syracuse has been…
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Why is John Desko Risking the Chase Scanlan Situation Exploding In His Face?
Photo credit: Rich Barnes, USA Today This is extremely delicate ice John Desko is traversing right now. By now we know the reason Chase Scanlan was originally suspended by the team. He was involved in a domestic incident on South Campus last weekend. We know his teammates are not giving him the benefit of the…
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Police Say Scanlan Involved in “Domestic Incident,” Desko Won’t Discuss
This afternoon we started to put the pieces together of the Chase Scanlan situation. According to a Syracuse.com report, Scanlan “was involved in what campus police labeled a domestic incident a day before he was suspended by the team, according to law enforcement sources and people familiar with the case.” He was not charged with…
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Why Have Syracuse Teammates Revolted Against Chase Scanlan?
More Fizz coverage: (5/8) Horrifying details emerge (5/7) Why Scanlan was arrested but investigation is still open (5/2) SU humiliated by ND, walls are closing in (4/29) Why is John Desko doubling down on his bizarre decision? (4/28) We find out Scanlan was involved in domestic incident The Chase Scanlan situation is one of the…
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Could Huntley-Hatfield Choosing UT Lead to Filipowski for Syracuse?
Funny how things work. Syracuse was tracking Brandon Huntley-Hatfield intensely since the start of the new year. While the 5-star power forward was a Tennessee native and the Vols were hot on him, the Orange jumped into the fray in January and started making headway. The SU staff was calling him non-stop and by the…
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Syracuse Is First In on Florida WR Derrick Bohler
This week Class of ’23 target Derrick Bohler received his first FBS offer, and it was from a Power 5 school: Syracuse. The Palmetto, FL wideout tweeted about it excitedly on Tuesday. Hey, even if it’s “Syracuse University” instead of “University of Syracuse,” we’ll let it slide. Bohler is fired up. Bohler checks in at…
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Will Indiana Benefit With Zion Cruz From Kentucky Staff Changes?
Two weeks ago, 5-star guard Zion Cruz competed in the New York Invitational. There, the Class of ’22 star said there are three schools he’s definitely targeting for official visits: Auburn, Georgia and Florida State. Bad news for such schools as Syracuse, Ohio State and Indiana, all of which have offered Cruz as well. But…
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Who’s the Front Runner for 4-Star Kyle Filipowski after Syracuse’s Surprise Offer?
Well, things just got interesting. Syracuse offered 4-star power forward Kyle “Flip” Filipowski this week. The Wilbraham, Massachusetts native is 6’10”, 215 lbs., part of the Class of ’22, and light on his feet. No Syracuse recruiting site seemed to have Filipowski as a target of SU. It’s relatively late in the process since he’s…
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Can Syracuse Benefit in Kentucky’s Coaching Staff Shakeup?
Kentucky suffered through its worst season under John Calipari, and one of the worst campaigns in program history. So you knew there would be changes. Today we learned what those changes will be (and maybe a few more on the way). Assistant coach Joel Justus is leaving. He will become the top assistant under Bobby…
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That Time Hopkins Head-Butted Carter-Williams in an Argument
Eric Devendorf has a podcast named “The Scorer’s Table,” and recently he spoke to Michael Carter-Williams. Devo asked MCW if there was a turning point in his collegiate career at Syracuse. Lo and behold we got an amazing story of the time Mike Hopkins was running practice and ran afoul of a frustrated Carter-Williams. Hopkins…
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4-Star Justin Taylor Admits He Was “Upset” and “Shocked” at Roy Williams’ Retirement
Syracuse has reportedly made 6’6″ shooter Justin Taylor a priority for the Class of ’22. He’s listed as a top 20 small forward in the nation, and has offered from UNC, Indiana, NC State, Virginia and Virginia Tech (among others). The Charlottesville product is being recruited heavily in the ACC, and The Fizz has written…
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Can Andre Cisco’s Draft Stock Help Syracuse Recruiting?
Andre Cisco is one of the most important players in recent Syracuse history. Not only was he tabbed by The Fizz as a top 100 athlete the school has ever seen, he holds in his hand the possibility of helping change SU football. Cisco has many draft evaluators drooling over his potential, and had he…
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Is Syracuse Recruiting Hurt By NYC’s Talent Void?
Over the weekend we detailed the reasons 5-star PF Brandon Huntley-Hatfield chose Tennessee over Syracuse, Kansas, Kentucky, Baylor and others. The Vols staff was on him early. They told him he’d be a lottery pick. There are available minutes immediately. And he’s part of a heralded class. There was also simple geography that hurt SU…
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Inside Story on Brandon Huntley-Hatfield Choosing Tennessee
Brandon Huntley-Hatfield had plenty of power programs interested. Kentucky, Kansas, and Baylor were just a few of the big names seeking BHH’s combination of size and scoring. The 5-star power forward was originally a top 10 player in the Class of ’22, and the best at his position. Late this week he decided to reclassify…
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Film Room: Jimmy Boeheim’s Game Analysis, Making the ACC Leap
Central New York is abuzz with the latest addition to the Orange. Jimmy Boeheim chose Syracuse yesterday, marking a rarity in college basketball history. A pair of brothers will play for their coach at a D1 power program. The story is almost too good to be true, but the real test on whether this will…
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All Signs Point To Jimmy Boeheim Choosing Syracuse Today… Right?
It feels like the worst kept secret in college basketball. Syracuse wants Jimmy Boeheim. He’s a perfect shooter to add to the team. He wants to play at a high-major. His dad and brother are already there. He’s been an SU fan his whole life. He’s doing interviews in front of a Syracuse flag for…
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Reports: Jimmy Boeheim May Choose Syracuse Today
Matt Gutierrez of The Athletic isn’t the only one who assumes Jimmy Boeheim will choose to transfer to Syracuse. And he believes it’s imminent. “Here‚Äôs what I‚Äôve been told: Jimmy probably will commit to Syracuse any day now. The commitment could come before this weekend. I wouldn‚Äôt expect him to wait much longer than that.…
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Is Jimmy Boeheim a Syracuse Transfer Fit or Just a Good Story?
These days the transfer portal speculation runs all day, every day. More than 1,000 college basketball players are looking for new homes, not to mention the potential domino effect of those decisions. Playing time, shots taken, points scored, and starting jobs are all on the line with every one of these transfer situations. It has…
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Will Kevin Ollie Upend College Basketball Recruiting with Overtime Elite?
Kevin Ollie was a nemesis of Syracuse when he played at UConn, battling against the Orange(men) from ’91-’95 in Big East classics. He stood on the sideline against Jim Boeheim as head coach of the Huskies and both teams were still in the Big East, upsetting #6 SU in Hartford that season. In ’14 he…
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Should Syracuse Target Siena Transfer Jalen Pickett?
The transfer portal has created a deluge of talent moving across the country, and one of the biggest targets is in Syracuse’s backyard. Siena point guard Jalen Pickett is getting major interest from power conference teams. The 6’4″ speedster was the MAAC Player of the Year and according to News 10 in Albany is drawing…
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Take Two! Coach Says Maliq Brown and Justin Taylor Could Be Package
The Class of ’22 has so many moving parts for Syracuse, it’s hard to keep it all sorted. But safe to say SU has plenty of hooks in the water of what could be one of the best recruiting classes ever. Two of those hooks happen to be with a pair of AAU teammates and…
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New Syracuse Transfer Cole Swider Will Outwork You
Every day seems to bring news for Syracuse’s ever-evolving roster. Much like the rest of college basketball, the transfer portal has been like Chicago O’Hare on Thanksgiving Eve. While SU has lost some good players, the flip side is the Orange has benefitted as well. Jay Wright has developed a machine in Philly, a Villanova…
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Is Syracuse Target Ty Rodgers Getting Pulled to Michigan State?
Ty Rodgers is one of the best small forwards in the Class of ’22. He’s getting interest from elite programs like Michigan, Ohio State, and Syracuse. The Orange are renown for not casting a very wide net in recruiting. If SU offers a player, they know the staff really wants them and Syracuse feels confident…
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Kamari Lands Promises To Recruit Friends to Syracuse
The addition of top-20 recruit Kamari Lands is huge from any perspective. The 5-star talent committed to Syracuse this week, and the addition of a play-making wing player like him immediately adds punch to the offense. His size, athleticism and length make for the perfect addition to the zone. His willingness to play in the…
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Sorry America, Kamari Lands is Perfectly Built for the Zone
The hand-wringing over Syracuse’s zone goes into overdrive during March Madness. The effectiveness of the 2-3 sends opponents into fits of vertigo, and coaches can’t seem to master teaching it to players on short notice. Jim Boeheim coaches it as well as anyone in the country, and Syracuse recruits directly for it. Enter Kamari Lands.…
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Should Syracuse Target KU Transfer Tyon Grant-Foster?
This has not been an ideal transfer period for Syracuse. Kadary Richmond and Robert Braswell entered the portal searching for more playing time (or a different situation). It is a sign of the times that college hoops powers are losing talent everywhere. It may even push some of the Hall of Fame coaches into a…
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Indiana Hoops is Promoting “Building Brands,” Is That the Future of Recruiting?
At first it seems out of place and shallow. One of the most storied programs in college basketball history is telling recruits they’ll help make them celebrities. From the school that refused to put names on jerseys and applauded Bobby Knight chewing your ass down for any selfish antics, comes a campaign to tell high…
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Syracuse Coaches “Have Not Stopped Talking” to Huntley-Hatfield
Brandon Huntley-Hatfield is one of the biggest targets in the Class of ’22. There’s still a chance he reclassifies to ’21 as well. The 5-star power forward is a consensus top 15 player in the nation, and Syracuse has made a strong push for him. Rivals.com’s Jamie Shaw recently caught up with BHH and asked…
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Roy Williams Exit Will Lead Boeheim and Coach K to Follow: Goodman
Roy Williams decision to step down as head coach at North Carolina could be one of those first dominos that causes the entire board to fall. Williams has been a Syracuse antagonist since joining the ACC, although Jim Boeheim’s greatest win came at his expense. College basketball has forever been about the titans on the…
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5-Star Zion Cruz Wants “Open Run” Style For His College Offense
Zion Cruz has all the assets to be one of the best point guards in college hoops, and programs like Indiana, Alabama, Louisville, Kentucky and Syracuse are on his tail. The 6’5″ combo guard insists he’s a point, and he’s touted as the best player in New Jersey. He’s considered the 4th best combo guard…
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Does Mike Woodson Change Zion Cruz’s Recruitment?
As Syracuse tries to steady itself during a rocky transfer portal, the recruiting targets out there are also fascinating. The Orange is in on multiple 5-star recruits, including Brandon Huntley-Hatfield. Another elite prospect SU covets is Zion Cruz, a 6’5″ combo guard out of New Jersey that has already proven to have big game instincts,…
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Is it Crazy for Quincy Guerrier to Leave Early for the NBA Draft?
Look around almost any NBA mock draft and it’s hard to find Quincy Guerrier’s name. In fact, it’s almost impossible. On March 1, The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie placed him at #81 on the NBA Draft Big Board. For context, there’s only 60 players selected in the two-round draft. On March 16, just before the NCAA…
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Will Jim Boeheim Retire as a Happy Man?
College basketball once again watched Jim Boeheim turn into a wizard, guiding an 11-seed to the Sweet 16 and leaving perplexed, vanquished foes in Raleigh, San Diego and Morgantown. Houston was finally able to shoot down the 2-3 zone, helped largely by its own defense, which smothered and covered the Orange like a biscuit at…
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Syracuse as Villains? Here’s the Top 5 Things We Missed About March Madness
Of all the NCAA tournaments this is the most non-traditional. First, it’s without the normal March beacons Duke and Kentucky. Second, there’s mostly empty gyms because of COVID limitations. Most importantly, it’s all enclosed into one host city as Indianapolis and the surrounding areas are housing the entire month-long hoops festival. It’s also the breath…
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Houston was in “Complete Disarray for 35 years” Before Sampson
Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle has covered the Cougars for years. He chatted with The Fizz this week as we went behind enemy lines. Despite being the 3-seed to Syracuse’s 11-seed, it seems plenty of people are picking the Orange. “It comes with the territory of being in the American Athletic Conference,” he says.…
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How Did Every Program Miss on Buddy Boeheim’s Potential?
It’s nearly impossible to imagine Buddy Boeheim playing anywhere else. It has always felt as though Jim was refusing to retire until his son could come play for him. Perhaps they ride off into the sunset together in two years, dad into retirement golf at Drumlins and son to the NBA, G-League or across seas.…
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