And that’s the final roster spot for the Orange.
The Syracuse Orange will add themselves another guard for the 2017-18 season. USF Bulls graduate transfer Geno Thorpe has committed to SU, according to Syracuse.com’s Mike Waters, who spoke with him over the phone on Friday.
Thorpe had narrowed his decision down to the hometown Pittsburgh Panthers and the Orange, but after arriving at SU yesterday for a visit, it seems he didn’t need much convincing.
As Ben noted on Tuesday, the Syracuse staff was not going to wait around for Eric Ayala’s reclassification decision in order to beef up its thin backcourt. Thorpe provides an immediate upgrade there as a player who can man the point guard or shooting guard role as needed.
As a redshirt junior last season, Thorpe averaged 15.1 points, 4.6 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game. He shot around 40 percent from the floor, but near-85 percent from the free throw line. Thorpe also committed three turnovers per game.
But with his size (he’s 6-foot-4), he’ll prove a capable defender at the top of the zone, so long as he’s adjusted to the system by the time the season rolls around.
According to Waters’s article, Thorpe came aboard as a result of his relationship with assistant coach Allen Griffin, who just arrived from Dayton this year. Thorpe was close to former Flyer Scoochie Smith, and that made the introduction to Griffin (and Syracuse) a bit easier. It’s nice to see Griffin paying dividends on the staff already.
That also makes for the full allotment of scholarship players for Syracuse now. It feels nice to be back at what feels like a normal rotation of talent for the first time in years.
Some highlights of Thorpe’s game for you below. Welcome aboard, Geno!
