The 2026 five-star point guard from New York City, went off in front of Syracuse basketball and North Carolina, both Atlantic Coast Conference schools.
The 6-foot-2 Rippey, who is from Brooklyn, N.Y., is a top-20 national junior talent and has put in some great performances for the Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J., which is an elite prep-school program.
On Wednesday evening, Blair hosted the Academy of the New Church from Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania. According to reports and social media posts, Blair won by a final score of 92-65.
Rippey, who is an excellent student in addition to being a talented basketball player, performed admirably in this game. According to social media accounts, he recorded an incredible 30 points and ten assists.
Syracuse basketball continues to pursue class of 2026 standout Rippey, with general manager Alex Kline and UNC assistant coach Marcus Paige recently attending his game on Wednesday. Kline had also watched Rippey’s impressive performance at the National Prep Showcase in New Haven, Conn., last month, further indicating Syracuse’s growing interest in the talented junior.
Deron Rippey Jr, who received a scholarship offer from Syracuse in August 2023, has been identified as a priority target for the Orange in the 2026 recruiting cycle. He previously visited Syracuse on Jim Boeheim Day in February 2023, and his father has mentioned plans for an official visit to the program in 2025.
In addition to Syracuse, Rippey is heavily recruited, boasting nearly 30 scholarship offers. His visits include an official to Louisville and unofficial stops at St. John’s, Villanova, and Rutgers. His extensive offer list includes programs like Stanford, Creighton, West Virginia, Maryland, LSU, Wake Forest, Providence, Villanova, Illinois, Texas A&M, TCU, Purdue, and Michigan, among others. Programs such as Kansas, North Carolina, Alabama, Memphis, Tennessee, and BYU have also shown interest in the rising star.
Rippey, who plays for New Heights Lightning in Nike’s EYBL circuit, has had a strong start to his junior season. As a sophomore, he played a pivotal role in leading Blair Academy to a 22-4 record, securing both the NJSIAA Prep A state championship and the MAPL tournament title.
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