The Syracuse Orange men's basketball program has been at its best when it has strong play from the point guard position. This season Gerry McNamara will presumably start the 6-foot-5 Garwey Dual at point, giving the Orange a throwback type of guard with height, length and a defensive focus.
When asked about the lead guard position on ACC Network from ACC Tip-Off in Charlotte, North Carolina, McNamara rhapsodized over Dual's on-ball defense while mentioning Syracuse's starter on the 2013 Final Four team in the same breath.
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"When I watched him as a high school player out in California my eyes told me NBA lottery pick," McNamara said
. "That's how good I thought he was out of high school — how talented. He's the best on-ball defender that I've ever been around in our program. I think Michael Carter-Williams is up there."
With multiple ball-handlers on the roster, Dual could be backed up at point guard by Aiden Tobiason or even Gavin Doty. Although McNamara has previously stated said he expects the 6-foot freshman from Chittenango to play backup point.
"And I'm not going to downplay our freshman Ryan Moesch," McNamara stated.
A three-star recruit, Moesch committed to McNamara and Siena before being granted his release by the Saints program. Moesch followed McNamara to hometown Syracuse for his freshman season.
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Dual has been on a college basketball journey. Syracuse is his fourth school in four years. After starting at Providence in 2023-24, he transferred to Seton Hall for his sophomore season and transferred to McNeese last year. He's amassed 106 steals in his last two seasons of college basketball.
Originally from Houston, Texas, the point guard with a 7-foot wingspan missed two months of practice this summer due to a broken collarbone, according to the reporting
of Syracuse.com's Mike Waters. Dual was officially back full-go at practice last week.
"The thing I like about Garwey is his journey. It hasn't been easy for him," McNamara said. "Watching his growth — he got injured for us pretty bad this summer with the dislocation in his collarbone. Watching his growth in that timeframe before the injury and then watching him in the last week since he's come back (from injury), I just feel like a kid that's been through it. Been through it for four years, have experienced in different ways so many different programs, just gets it now."
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McNamara touted Dual's work ethic, as well as his focus.
"I just feel like he's in such a good state (of mind) in terms of his focus of what matters," McNamara said.
With the 5-in-5 rule passed, Dual will have one more season of eligibility following the 2026-27 year. The Syracuse basketball season gets underway next week when the Orange travel to Connecticut on Tuesday to take on UConn from Mohegan Sun Arena in an exhibition.
"Garwey Dual is a very good player," McNamara said. "But I'm really excited that at the end of his career he's going to get to showcase himself and I think he's going to finally put it all together and show people how good he is."
