Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim is known for plucking some of the brightest stars out of Baltimore City and he has done it again this year. 

Boeheim, who brought players like Carmelo Anthony and Donte Greene to upstate New York, jumped on former City College standout C.J. Fair during his sophomore year.

The 6-foot-8, smooth forward tore his ACL the summer before his junior season and transferred to Brewster Academy in New England for his senior campaign. 

He and fellow Baltimore native Will Barton (Memphis) helped lead Brewster to the Nation Prep Championship.

In two exhibition games, Fair has seen 34 minutes of playing time and has scored 21 points.  The Orange opens its regular season tonight against Northern Iowa.

Taft, a McDonald’s All-American nominee, was a four-year starter that led the Knights in scoring each year.  In 2008-09, she led City to its first girls basketball state title.

The sharpshooting guard averaged 20 points per game for the Knights last season and is expected to see a lot of playing time as a freshman. 

Syracuse was looking for a serious perimeter threat and Taft should provide that with her three-point shooting abilities.

Her Orange team also opens its season tonight when they host Northeastern in the Carrier Dome.