No matter the level, summer is the best time for basketball players to hone their craft. There is no substitute for hard work. And Symir Torrence never wastes a second on the court.

Torrence, a Syracuse native, is doing just that as he gets ready his final season of college basketball. The former SU player will finish his career at Binghamton this winter.

“I work day in and day out,” he said. I trust my work ethic. I trust the people around me, even the people in this gym today. They always help me. Even when I lose. It doesn't matter. It's always a learning experience.”

His journey began on the high school courts of Syracuse - a star at Syracuse Academy of Science in high school, before prep school and 2 years at Marquette. But the best part of his journey brought him back to Syracuse for the last 2 seasons in Orange.

Torrence calls it an unreal experience to play for his hometown school, but decided another change of scenery was best for him.

“Deep down in my heart, I just thought it was best for me,” he said. “The coaching staff thought it was best for me. They thought I deserved more. I thought so as well. And Binghamton seemed to be the right fit. Definitely one of my family and my friends. So to come see me, it's only down the road, like you said, our way. So I'm excited and I'm thankful that I chose being I'm staying because it's only down the road.”

“Just bringing that high major level talent and that experience down to the low major level on,” he said. “I don't look at it as a low, major level because nowadays college basketball is college basketball. You see all the little major schools getting up and into the power fives and the Final Four. So you really just can't look down on little majors.”

And so far the change is paying off as Torrence’s experience makes it easy for others learn from him.

“It's been fun getting to know the guys and telling them my experience, telling my story and kind of getting the young guys going and telling them all about the college process and to just stay in the moment,” he explained. “That's the big thing. If I if I had to tell myself my younger self something, I would say, stay in the moment. Don't let anything discourage you. Like it's going to be it's going to be some bumps. I'm going to have some sunny days. You just got to stay level because that's what college is really all about.”

And when it’s all said and done, he has done more than just represent his hometown. He hopes to inspire a generation and be a role model for others to look up to.

“I just tied the best every day just to give advice,” he said. “I know as young kids out there in the city of Syracuse that have so much talent and I just tell them to keep going at it. And it's not a lot of people that come to Syracuse just to see if we have talent. So that's what I'm trying to provide. Trying to provide us more outside information and get some of the youth to be outside of Syracuse because there's so much more out in the world that we don't know about. I'm still learning about it and I can't wait to share it.”

But for now it’s full steam ahead on his final season in college.