By ADAM ZAGORIA & DENNIS CHAMBERS
CIA Bounce point guard Howard Washington is headed to Syracuse.
Head coach Jim Boeheim made a scholarship offer on Saturday to the Class of 2017 Athlete Institute point guard.
“I grew up loving ‘Cuse and I love the ‘Cuse coaching staff,” Washington told ZAGSBLOG. “And I feel that ‘Cuse fits my style of play and feel as though I can make an impact right. I’m a point guard who can score from three and get to the rim and will lead a team and will do whatever it takes to win.”
Washington is a teammate of incoming Syracuse forward Oshae Brissett.
“Howard’s dream school has always been Syracuse,” CIA Bounce head coach Tony McIntyre said. “He grew up in Buffalo watching the Orange and will now join them for 2017. He fits in the mold of what ‘Cuse runs and will be able to fit in easily.”
Indiana, Tulane and St. Bonaventure were among the other schools recruiting the 6-foot-3, 185-pound Washington, who decommitted from Butler in the spring of 2016.
“Howard is in a position where he can bring a dimension as a point guard who can shoot and create off ball screens for Syracuse,” Athlete Institute coach Chris Cobbina said. “And be a steadying ship who is a good communicator and leader to the team. He is a gym rat who is committed to getting better and has genuine love for Syracuse being a kid raised in the State of New York
Syracuse missed out on Quade Green (Kentucky) and remains in the mix for Putnam Science Academy (CT) point guard Eric Ayala, who is weighing reclassifying to 2017 from 2018. Ayala told ZAGSBLOG after the Washington commitment that Syracuse is still recruiting him.
“He’s a great leader, he’s really, really progressed,” Cobbina said of Washington. “He can really shoot the ball, he’s terrific when it comes to making reads off of ball screens. Guys like playing with him. He’s good in terms of making sure other guys are involved.
“He’s an underrated athlete. He’s crafty in his ability to get to different spots on the floor. If there’s a big shot to be had, he’s got the [stones] to step up and make it.”
