With one phone call, Syracuse basketball fortified two significant relationships late Monday night.

Dayshawn Wright, a 6-foot-6, 235-pound senior forward from Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., called Syracuse coaches and a gave a verbal commitment to play for the Orangemen.

Wright, rated one of the top-50 players in the senior class by many online recruiting experts, became the second recruit to choose the Orangemen within the last six days. Point guard Josh Wright – unrelated to Dayshawn – gave his commitment last week.

Just as important, Dayshawn Wright’s commitment solidified Syracuse’s relationship with Oak Hill Academy, the United States’ pre-eminent high school basketball powerhouse. Wright became the third Oak Hill player to sign at Syracuse in the last four years, joining Carmelo Anthony and Billy Edelin.

‘Syracuse seems to be a good fit for a lot of our guys,’ said Steve Smith, the longtime head coach at Oak Hill. ‘We’re starting to see a trend with our kids going there, and I’m sure Dayshawn won’t be the last.’

In truth, Wright had leanings toward Syracuse before he met Smith. Wright grew up in Syracuse and starred at Fowler High School for three years, averaging 24 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks last season before deciding to transfer to Oak Hill for its highly competitive basketball program.

Wright picked Syracuse over Pittsburgh, Arizona, Georgia and Seton Hall – which he had planned to visit this weekend.

‘He’ll do very well up at Syracuse,’ Smith said. ‘He’s a big, physical guy. He attacks the basket very well and he’s a fantastic rebounder. He’s just a pretty polished, athletic type of player.’

The one thing Wright lacks is the mid-range jumper. He’s inconsistent from 15 feet or farther, which forces him to stay close to the basket and play power forward.

But, if Oak Hill lives up to its reputation, Wright will shoot it like SU guard Gerry McNamara before the end of his senior season.

Oak Hill, which sends about four players to Division I schools each year, is famous for improving its athletes. Anthony, a freshman on last year’s NCAA championship team, went there and packed on 20 pounds. Edelin, a point guard, went there and learned how to become a post-up scorer.

‘We get kids ready for college ball,’ Smith said. ‘A kid who spends a year playing for us basically enters college at a sophomore level.’

Great news for Syracuse, considering it might see more Oak Hill grads in the near future. Smith – who had never sent a player to Syracuse before Edelin – now feels comfortable with the Orangemen. He’s played golf with head coach Jim Boeheim and spent hours on the phone with assistant coach Troy Weaver.

‘I have a great relationship with Syracuse,’ Smith said. ‘They’ve been good to me, and I think I’ve been good to them. I will never hesitate to send a player there.’

Lovin’ Louie

Ask Syracuse players to pick the single biggest surprise of their workouts so far and, after considerable fumbling and bumbling, almost all of them land on one name:

‘Louie McCroskey,’ guard Josh Pace said, ‘has been special. He’s going to be a very, very good player for us.’

McCroskey – a 6-foot-5 freshman guard from St. Raymond’s High School in the Bronx – is the lowest-rated prospect in SU’s four-man freshman class. But, according to his teammates, McCroskey might be the freshman most ready to contribute.

Much like Pace and Edelin, McCroskey has an uncanny knack for getting to the basket. He’s quick on a fast break, athletic around the hoop and a scrappy offensive rebounder.

Unlike Pace and Edelin, McCroskey has shown a willingness to take – and sometimes make – an outside shot. He’s a consistent shooter from 15 feet. In his own words, he’s an ‘almost-consistent’ shooter from 3-point range.

‘The way I’m playing right now, I can come in and contribute,’ McCroskey said. ‘I know I have to start from the bottom and prove myself, but I just want to be really good with the minutes I get. I want to make things happen.’

His teammates think he will.

‘He’s more of a scorer than any of the other freshmen,’ Pace said. ‘He might be a little more mature than the rest of that group. Louie will contribute for us soon, like at the start of this year.’

This and that

Syracuse administrators reached a decision Thursday that will make this year’s student-season ticket package more desirable. But, because the idea still needs final approval, it will not be announced until later this week … Syracuse assistant coach Mike Hopkins tore ligaments in his knee during a softball game Sunday. He’ll wear a brace for about six weeks … How big of a box-office draw will Syracuse be as the defending national champs? Well, Syracuse’s Dec. 3 game at St. Bonaventure’s 11,456-seat Blue Cross Arena sold out in 75 minutes Monday … Promoters announced 1,000 additional lower-level tickets will go on sale this morning at 10 for an NBA preseason game pitting Anthony’s Denver Nuggets against the Detroit Pistons on Oct. 19 at the Carrier Dome.

Published on September 23, 2003 at 12:00 pm