When Trevon Duval thinks about Syracuse, one thing catches his attention.

“The first thing I think about when I think about Syracuse is their (2-3) zone and their big guards,” Duval said. “That sticks out to me because I’m that type of guard.”

The 6-foot-3, 170-pound rising junior at St. Benedict’s (New Jersey) Prep said he would look forward to playing at the top of the zone and that it’d be easier than playing man-to-man elsewhere. Duval also said he doesn’t have top schools yet and isn’t leaning toward one in particular. He’s also been talking with “G-Mac,” Syracuse assistant coach Gerry McNamara, “a couple times a week.”

“We’ve been talking ever since I went on my visit up there,” said Duval, who made his visit to Syracuse at Orange Madness in October. “He just maintains a relationship with me. I keep him updated on what I’m doing. We talk about basketball — college and if I was in the NBA — and just basketball.”

Duval has also spoken to Jim Boeheim, but neither he nor McNamara has discussed Boeheim’s future retirement or Mike Hopkins’ eventual succession to head coach.

“(Boeheim) didn’t even bring it up,” Duval said. “I don’t think about that. It doesn’t affect my recruitment that much.”

McNamara isn’t the only one recruiting Duval to play for the Orange in 2017-18. Syracuse’s first Class of 2016 commit, Matthew Moyer, has been pitching Duval as well.

“We don’t get too in-depth with our conversations, but he says, ‘Come to Syracuse’ or ‘We’d be good,’” Duval said. “He tells me about the school, how great it is and how successful I would be if I went there.”

Moyer and Duval both attended the Mary Kline Classic this summer.

Moyer also heavily recruited five-star guard Tyus Battle to Syracuse, who committed to SU on Monday. Battle is 6 feet 6 inches and 195 pounds, according to Scout.com

“Tyus was a really good pickup for Syracuse and he’s also a big guard,” Duval said. “I thought that Tyus would go (to Syracuse) because of the school and the style of play.

“It showed me that another big guard can go play at Syracuse. But it doesn’t change anything (about my recruitment).”

Published on July 17, 2015 at 2:21 pm

Contact Sam: sjfortie@syr.edu | @Sam4TR