Syracuse Basketball: Recruiting Class of 2016

By NICK ENDRES

Matthew Moyer

Class of 2016 signee Matthew Moyer has been named Gatorade Player of the Year in Connecticut. Matthew is a 6-foot-8 215 pound power forward. He comes in ranked at No. 75 in the class of 2016 and No. 16 at his position.

Moyer attends South Kent School (South Kent, Conn). On the court, Matthew averaged 16.5 points and 9.5 rebounds this season for South Kent. He shot nearly 60 percent from inside the 3-point arc this season, while leading the Cardinals to the New England Prep School Athletic Council Class AAA semifinals. He averaged 21.5 points per game in the NEPSEC Class AAA tournament.

Tyus Battle

Tyus Battle, a 6-foot-6 205 pound five star combo guard who is ranked No. 14 on Rivals and No. 27 on ESPN is also among prospects in the class of 2016. Battle, just like his counterpart Moyer, was just awarded Gatorade Player of the Year in New Jersey.

Battle, who attends Gill St. Bernard’s (N.J.), missed most of his junior season with an ankle injury but averaged 22.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game as a sophomore.

Now as a senior, he led his team to a 22–6 record and the South Jersey Non-Public A championship game this past season. Battle averaged 19.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.7 steals per game. A former member of the USA Basketball U17 National Team, he was the Somerset County Player of the Year and a Second Team All-State selection as a sophomore.

Scholarship Offers: Taurean Thompson

Syracuse has reportedly offered Class of 2016 four-star recruit Taurean Thompson. The news was first reported by Scout.com.

The 6-foot-10 big man is ranked No. 91 in his class and No. 18 at his position, and has offers from Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Oklahoma and Temple among others, according to Scout. He plays for the New Jersey Playaz AAU team and attends Brewster (New Hampshire) Academy. Former Brewster players C.J. Fair, Ron Patterson and Chris McCullough have played for Syracuse.

Thompson could add to a roster that’s thin at center. Next year SU will have to rely on senior DaJuan Coleman and junior Chinonso Obokoh after Class of 2015 signee Moustapha Diagne was not cleared in time by the NCAA. In 2016–17, SU will have Providence transfer Paschal Chukwu, who is sitting out this year because of NCAA transfer rules.