It’s the day a lot of Syracuse hoops fans have been waiting for. Three star guard Joe Girard will pick his future team today. Here’s the rundown of the Glens Falls product’s impending decision:
Who:
Joe Girard is a three star guard from upstate New York. He is the state’s all-time leading scorer, despite not even starting his senior season yet. Last year, he averaged 50 points per game. Absolute 2K MyPlayer numbers. Girard played his AAU ball with the Albany City Rocks, where he was a teammate of current Syracuse guard Buddy Boeheim and Orange target Isaiah Stewart. Gerry McNamara is his main recruiter with SU.
What teams is he deciding between:
Syracuse, Duke, Notre Dame, Michigan, Boston College and Penn State.
When:
October 14th, 7 PM at the Queensbury Hotel in Glens Falls.
Why he’ll pick:
Syracuse: The Orange has the hometown edge. He can come to Syracuse and be just a three hour drive away for friends and family to come watch. It also helps to have Gerry McNamara as his main recruiter because they hold similar skill sets and was a part of the Orange’s lone championship. SU is also pegged as the favorite for Girard amongst recruiting services.
Duke: It’s Duke. Need I say more? We’ve seen the Blue Devils swipe away recruits from other major schools late in the process a la Jordan Tucker, Zion Williamson and more. Just like Syracuse, Duke’s main Girard recruiter also had the same skill set. Jon Scheyer can give the same pitch to Girard that McNamara can, but one difference that Scheyer can boast is that his championship was one of Duke’s five.
Notre Dame: The allure of the Notre Dame brand is always strong. Mike Brey is one of the guys who is always named as a “player’s coach.” However, the Fighting Irish’s Class of 2018 featured three shooting guards, which presents a challenge for Girard to crack the rotation.
Michigan: The family ties are what’s strongest here. Girard’s father, Joe Girard Jr., played for current Michigan coach John Beilein while he was the head man at LeMoyne College. Along with that, the Wolverines have had strong March showings of late. Michigan has reached the Sweet 16 in four of the last six tournaments, including a pair of national championship game appearances and two Big Ten Tournament championships in that span.
Boston College: The Eagles have boasted one of the most talented backcourts in the country in recent years. Jim Christian’s pitch to Girard is simple: come here and you can score. A lot. Jerome Robinson was just a lottery pick by the Los Angeles Clippers, despite being slotted as a backend first round or second round player. Currently, Ky Bowman and Jordan Chatman are primed to continue their prolific careers this season. Girard could be the next installment of recent great BC guards.
Penn State: The Nittany Lions are the team amongst this bunch that makes you say “huh?” But Penn State was the first Power Five team to offer Girard. That long standing relationship can always pull at the heart strings and is certainly a reason why PSU is still in the running for Girard’s services.
Where will he end up:
Syracuse is the favorite in the clubhouse and is my pick for Girard’s future school. The Orange’s proximity to Glens Falls, Girard’s ties to the program and the SU tradition will seal the deal for the guard.
Listen to the latest Fizz Radio episode for more on Girard’s decision:
