Despite a strong lineage historically, the point guard position has been a big issue for the Syracuse Orange basketball team in recent years. Two years ago, Hofstra transfer Jaquan Carlos was simply not good enough to lead an ACC team.

Last season, Georgia Tech transfer Naithan George was an upgrade, but not enough to lead Syracuse back to the NCAA Tournament. With George leaving for Pitt, the Orange is once again starting from scratch at point guard. As a former Syracuse point guard himself, here is the collection of players that head coach Gerry McNamara has set to play point guard for the Orange during the 2026-27 season.

Starter: Garwey Dual

Barring a last-minute addition, Dual is in line to be Syracuse’s starting point guard this season. The Orange will be his fourth team in four seasons, as Dual began his career at Providence, transferred to Seton Hall for a season, and then spent last season at McNeese State. He’s not an elite scorer or a reliable perimeter shooter, averaging just 8.4 points per game and shooting 31.6% from three-point range last season.

However, he has improved as a passer throughout his college career, averaging 4.4 assists per game at McNeese State. Dual’s strength is on the defensive end, as his 6’5’’ frame and 6’10’’ wingspan make him an excellent on-ball defender. The hope is that he will disrupt the opposing point guard and lead a stingy Syracuse defense, with the possibility that Dual’s offensive game also improves enough to run the show on offense.

Backup: Ryan Moesch

Moesch will likely be the top backup for Dual this season. The incoming freshman from nearby Chittenango, N.Y., initially committed to Siena, ultimately choosing to follow McNamara to Syracuse. At six feet, Moesch may be a little undersized, but he has natural point guard abilities. Scouting reports say he’s a strong passer with a good feel for the game, helping to make up for his lack of height and elite athleticism.

The question is whether he’ll be able to compete in the ACC right away, at least in a backup role. The Orange will likely need at least five to 10 minutes per game from Moesch as the backup point guard. Of course, if he adjusts to the college level quickly, Moesch could have an even bigger role for Syracuse during his freshman season.

Third String: Aiden Tobiason

Unfortunately, depth isn’t a luxury the current Syracuse roster has at point guard. The Orange is heavy on wings, but is lacking any pure point guards behind Dual and Moesch. If needed, Tobiason will probably be next in line to handle point guard duties. After playing two seasons at Temple, he’ll be one of Syracuse’s most experienced players this season, at least among the team’s guards. Tobiason is by no means a true point guard, but he’s comfortable enough with the ball in his hands to deputize there if needed.

Emergency Option: Kiyan Anthony

The break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option at point guard figures to be Anthony. He’s not a point guard by trade and averaged 0.9 assists per game as a freshman. Of course, there were times last season in which Anthony initiated the offense. That’s something he should be able to do more frequently as he develops. Granted, that doesn’t make him a point guard. But in an emergency, Anthony is likely to be the de facto point guard if Dual, Moesch and Tobiason are all unavailable.

Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow