Chris Bunch is bring optimism to Syracuse hoops. The recent commit told Mike McAllister he believes the incoming talent is enough to win the ACC next year.
“I think we can really be the best team in the ACC if I’m being perfectly honest. I never really believed in the blue bloods or all that type of stuff. I’ve always believed in workers and all that type. I think if we come in, work and listen to Coach Boeheim, I don’t see why we can’t be the number one team in the ACC.” – Chris Bunch
The 4-star Bunch became the cherry on top of an already good-looking sundae for SU. The Class of ’22 now has a talented piece at every position. PG Quadir Copeland, SG Justin Taylor, C Peter Carey, and PF Maliq Brown round out the potential Fab Five for the Orange next season.
It’s exceedingly rare for five freshman to take over a team, the ’92 Michigan team is best known. But it’s also exceedingly rare that all five of these players will stay for a significant time at SU with the activity of the transfer portal.
This class though, should give Orange fans incredible hope. They all seem genuinely thrilled to be joining the program, not tagging along because a friend convinced them, or only committed for an ancillary purpose. They all seem driven by the idea they can win big.
How realistic is it? Syracuse last won its conference in ’12, when the Orange 17-1 and took home the Big East for the second time in three years. That team was eliminated in the Elite 8. In ’10, SU tied for the Big East regular season title at 15-3. In the ACC, the Orange have never won the conference. Their best finish was second when they went 14-4 in SU’s first ACC campaign in ’14. Since then the Orange has finished 8th, 9th, 7th, 10th, 6th, 6th, and 8th in the league.
It’s easier said than done especially with the prowess of Duke, and the best basketball league in the nation (no matter what the Big Ten says). But you have to appreciate Bunch’s optimism. He believes, and hopefully his teammates do too. They bring in a top 10 class nationally. If they expect greatness, that’s the most important thing.
