Joe Girard to return to Syracuse basketball team next season

Syracuse, NY – Joe Girard will return to Syracuse next season, according to two sources familiar with Girard’s intentions.

With news regarding Syracuse and the transfer portal dominating the Orange basketball conversation over the past two days, Girard’s return means at least two SU players from the 2020-2021 roster will be back for 2021- 2022. The other player is said to be Girard’s full-back buddy Buddy Boeheim.

Girard, second from Glens Falls, started each of his two seasons in the SU. He’s averaged 9.8 points this season in 27.7 minutes of playing time. Those numbers have slipped a bit from last season, when he averaged 12.4 points in 33 minutes.

Girard has also struggled this season with Covid-19 and lingering physical complications from his asthma after contracting the disease around Christmas. It took him weeks, he says, to feel himself again after Covid reduced him to a state of frequent exhaustion.

In his last three games, all in the NCAA tournament, Girard has averaged 12 points and shot 9 of 21 from the 3-point line. He led SU with 99 assists, against 59 turnovers.

He and Boeheim have combined this season for an average of 27.9 points per game. The duo averaged 34.2 points in the NCAA tournament.

Girard’s news comes one day when Kadary Richmond entered her name on the transfer portal. Richmond, a 6-foot-5 point guard with length and the ability to smash defenders off the dribble, split the time with Girard on point, although at times Girard strayed from the ball.

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim continues to say the Orange will likely lose players on the transfer portal and recruit from that same space as well.

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