Syracuse Basketball Recruiting: Latest Updates on Orange's Top Targets

The hits just keep coming for the Syracuse basketball team and Syracuse athletics in general. The university announced on Wednesday that athletic director Dr. Daryl Gross has resigned and head basketball coach Jim Boeheim will retire in three years.

These announcements came in the wake of the sanctions the NCAA handed down as a result of its nearly decade-long investigation into the athletic program.

You had to expect some heads to roll after the NCAA hammered Syracuse like it did. So it isn't much of a surprise that Gross resigned (he will remain with the university, but in a smaller role). But the fact that Boeheim's tenure now has an expiration date is a bit of a surprise.

But for now, Boeheim is still the head coach, and the program will roll on. Since Syracuse is sitting out the postseason, the next step is to get back on the recruiting trail. So let's update what is happening with some of the top players Syracuse is eyeing in the next couple of recruiting classes.

Thomas Bryant

With four players already locked up in the class of 2015, only Thomas Bryant remains on the Orange's radar for next year. The 6'10" center from Rochester, New York, would turn an already-solid class into an elite group and put Syracuse right back in the national rankings heading into next year.

However, now that the NCAA sanctioned Syracuse, the recruitment of Bryant is in a bit of a holding pattern. Per Mike Waters of Syracuse.com, Bryant and his mother, Linda, are "trying to get a few things figured out."

Waters also said Syracuse is at the maximum number of scholarships allowed for next season, so a player would have to leave to make room for Bryant. However, we don't know if Syracuse would even be allowed to bring in Bryant.

Syracuse lost scholarships because of the NCAA sanctions, but the school can delay that until after next season. However, Waters said the NCAA "has not been able to clarify whether Syracuse could bring in an as yet-unsigned recruit for the 2015-16 season."

Waters said Bryant recently visited Indiana and that he would likely make his decision sometime this month. Until we get more information, Orange fans shouldn't hold their breath about landing Bryant.

Matthew Moyer

With 2015 out of the way, we can move on to the class of 2016. Syracuse currently has one player committed: Matthew Moyer out of Columbus, Ohio.

Moyer is a long 6'8" forward who will fit in nicely on the back line of the Syracuse zone. He is currently ranked 39th in the nation. He's a little bit lanky at 205 pounds, but he has impressive athleticism and seems built for the Syracuse system.

Moyer has not wavered on his commitment despite the sanctions and the announcement of Boeheim's impending retirement. Donna Ditota of Syracuse.com reported that Moyer still plans to attend Syracuse.

"That could be quite an amazing second year for Matthew," Moyer's mom, Annette, told Ditota. "It puts the entire team on a very big stage and gives them a chance to let Boeheim go out on a high note."

Tyus Battle

Tyus Battle is perhaps the top player Syracuse is after in 2016. Battle is a 6'5" combo guard who can play either backcourt spot, and he is ranked 13th in the nation.

Ditota reported that Boeheim called Battle's father, Gary, 15 minutes before the university announced Boeheim's retirement decision. Boeheim told Gary Battle that Syracuse would still have a scholarship available for Tyus in 2016 despite the reduction by the NCAA.

Gary Battle still had plenty of good things to say to Ditota about Boeheim and the program:

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It doesn't impact what we're hoping to accomplish. We like the brand, we like the school, we like the coach and the coaching staff is an extension of each other. Coach Boeheim has been as involved as any head coach in the recruitment of Tyus. But there's no more prepared assistant coach than Mike Hopkins.

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Syracuse will appeal some of the sanctions levied by the NCAA, so this saga is far from over. We will have to see how long the appeal takes and how it affects Syracuse's loss of scholarships and subsequently the recruiting process.

Recruit rankings and info courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.