Syracuse picked up a significant addition to its 2021-22 roster in transfer guard Symir Torrence. With the departure of Kadary Richmond, Torrence is a key piece for the Orange.
AS A HIGH SCHOOL PROSPECT
Torrence was a highly regarded recruit out of high school. He had more than a dozen offers from programs across the country. Torrence was a consensus top 100 player and ranked slightly higher than Richmond by the 247Sports Composite. Torrence was originally part of the 2020 recruiting cycle, but reclassified to the 2019 class.
SCOUTING REPORT
Torrence is a true point guard who brings an attitude to the position. He plays with a chip on his shoulder, is a strong, physical guard and has above average length for a point guard. Torrence is adept at taking a defender off the dribble and getting into the lane. He can finish at the rim, hit a floater in the lane or set up his teammates for open shots. He is strong enough to finish through contact as well.
Make no mistake, while Torrence can score, he is a pass first point guard with strong court vision. He can run half court sets, lead a fast break, or break down a defense off the bounce.
As a jump shooter, Torrence is solid. He shot 37.5% from three point range as a freshman at Marquette, but that dipped to 13.9% as a sophomore. Torrence has good shooting form and showed the ability to make the outside shot as a high schooler. He can still work on this area but the truth regarding percentage is probably somewhere in the middle.
As a defender, Torrence is physical on the ball, is quick in his lateral movement has the length to cause deflections. His strength should also help prevent opposing guards from getting into the lane. The skill set shows potential within the zone.
ROLE
Torrence is talented enough to push Joe Girard for the starting point guard spot next season. If Girard holds onto that spot, Torrence is a good option off the bench who can play 20-25 minutes per game and make an impact.
BOTTOM LINE
Losing a player who has had success within your program is never ideal, but the impact of that is determined by how the program adjusts and fills out the roster. Bringing in Torrence will help offset some of the loss of Richmond's departure. Torrence has experience playing with Joe Girard and Buddy Boeheim from their AAU days. So there will be natural on-court chemistry. In addition, Torrence is a hometown kid who grew up dreaming of playing for Syracuse. Now he will get that opportunity. This is a nice pickup for Syracuse, adding a talented player who has the skill set to make an impact on both ends of the floor.
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