"Boeheim's Army" Back In Action
7/15/2016 11:30:00 AM | Men's Basketball
"Boeheim's Army," a team made up of former Syracuse players, takes to the court in The Basketball Tournament this weekend in Philadelphia. The squad, seeded second in the East Region of the winner-take-all-event, plays Basketball City NYC on Saturday, July 16, at 7:30 p.m.
This marks the second year for The Basketball Tournament. Last year's event offered a $1 million prize and, thanks to the success of the tournament, the payout has increased to $2 million this time.
Kevin Belbey, a former Syracuse manager, has served as general manager of Boeheim's Army. He's put together a 10-man roster featuring a number of prominent Orange alumni.
Returning from last year's squad are Eric Devendorf, Baye Moussa Keita, Terrence Roberts and Hakim Warrick, along with former Purdue player Willie Deane. Joining the team are C.J. Fair, Donte Greene, Rick Jackson, Brandon Triche and Darryl Watkins. Boeheim's Army is coached by former Orange forward Ryan Blackwell.
"The team is very excited to get back together again, wear Orange, and compete against some of the best basketball players out there," said Belbey. "We're supporting the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation -- if we win, $50,000 of the prize money will go to the Foundation!"
Saturday's action will take place at Philadelphia University. If Boeheim's Army wins, it is scheduled to play again on July 17. The contests will be streamed live on Facebook. ESPN2 and ESPNU are scheduled to televise the tournament's round of 16 and quarterfinals and ESPN will show the semifinals and final.
Here are thumbnail sketches on the 2016 edition of Boeheim's Army:
Ryan Blackwell (1997-2000): He transferred to Syracuse after spending one year at Illinois and started every game over three seasons, a total of 100 contests. He totaled 1,175 points and averaged 11.8 points and 7.8 rebounds during his collegiate career. He played professionally in England, France, Japan, Portugal and Uruguay, before embarking on a coaching career. He spent the past winter as men's coach at Liverpool High School.
Eric Devendorf (2005-09): Devendorf started 90 of 116 games while at Syracuse. He averaged 14.5 points per game and accumulated 1,680 in his career. In 2008-09, Devendorf averaged 15.7 ppg. and converted 82 3-point baskets. He played in the infamous six-overtime game with Connecticut in the 2009 BIG EAST Conference Tournament. Devendorf was a member of the Super City Rangers, a pro team in New Zealand, this past spring. He averaged 26.5 points per game.
C.J. Fair (2010-14): Fair was the first Syracuse performer to earn first-team All-ACC honors when he was selected in 2013-14. Fair was a 2014 consensus All-American pick. He scored 1,660 points at Syracuse and averaged 11.6 points an outing. He spent the past winter with the Ft. Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA D-League and averaged 16.0 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. He played for Portland in the Las Vegas Summer League this week.
Donte Greene (2007-08): He averaged 17.7 points and 7.7 rebounds a game in his single season at Syracuse. He earned second-team All-BIG EAST Conference. Greene was selected 28th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2008 NBA Draft. He played four seasons in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings. He played overseas with Al-Nasr of the United Arab Emirates in 2015.
Rick Jackson (2007-11): He scored 1,245 career points in 143 career games with the Orange. Jackson averaged 8.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. He peaked in his senior season, averaging 13.1 points and 10.3 rebounds, and earning Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American laurels. Jackson was the 2010-11 BIG EAST Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He signed with Provence on the French LNB Pro B league in April. Jackson spent some time in the NBA D-League in 2015-16.
Baye Moussa Keita (2010-14): He played in 142 games over four seasons with the Orange and was a key reserve in the post. He has played two seasons in Europe since graduating from Syracuse. He has played the past two seasons with Horsens IC in Denmark and was part of back-to-back Danish League championships.
Terrence Roberts (2003-07): Roberts started every game as a junior and senior and finished his Syracuse career just shy of 1,000 career points (963). He averaged a personal best 10.7 points in 2005-06 and 8.1 rebounds in 2006-07. Roberts was a teammate of Devendorf's on the Super City Rangers in New Zealand.Â
Brandon Triche (2009-13): Triche was with the first-string for all 147 games of his Orange tenure. A prep standout at nearby Jamesville-DeWitt High School, he scored 1,564 points during his collegiate career. He was third-team All-BIG EAST Conference after averaging 13.6 points per game as a senior. He played two seasons of professional basketball in Italy but missed the past campaign after suffering a knee injury.
Hakim Warrick (2001-05): The owner of the most famous blocked shot in Syracuse basketball history, Warrick was the 2005 BIG EAST Conference Player of the Year and a two-time, first-team All-BIG EAST selection. He is one of six SU players who scored 2,000 career points, tallying 2,003 in 135 games. Warrick averaged 21.4 points and 8.6 rebounds as a senior and earned consensus All-America honors. Warrick was selected 19th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft by Memphis. He played in eight NBA seasons. He has played in Australia, China, Turkey and most recently Greece.
Darryl Watkins (2003-07): Watkins went from a part-time player to a two-year starter at Syracuse. He averaged a personal-best 8.1 points and 7.5 rebounds as a senior. He spent brief stints with Sacramento and New Orleans in the NBA. He played in 2015-16 with Asvel Lyon-Villeurbanne in France and averaged 8.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.
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This marks the second year for The Basketball Tournament. Last year's event offered a $1 million prize and, thanks to the success of the tournament, the payout has increased to $2 million this time.
Kevin Belbey, a former Syracuse manager, has served as general manager of Boeheim's Army. He's put together a 10-man roster featuring a number of prominent Orange alumni.
Returning from last year's squad are Eric Devendorf, Baye Moussa Keita, Terrence Roberts and Hakim Warrick, along with former Purdue player Willie Deane. Joining the team are C.J. Fair, Donte Greene, Rick Jackson, Brandon Triche and Darryl Watkins. Boeheim's Army is coached by former Orange forward Ryan Blackwell.
"The team is very excited to get back together again, wear Orange, and compete against some of the best basketball players out there," said Belbey. "We're supporting the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation -- if we win, $50,000 of the prize money will go to the Foundation!"
Saturday's action will take place at Philadelphia University. If Boeheim's Army wins, it is scheduled to play again on July 17. The contests will be streamed live on Facebook. ESPN2 and ESPNU are scheduled to televise the tournament's round of 16 and quarterfinals and ESPN will show the semifinals and final.
Here are thumbnail sketches on the 2016 edition of Boeheim's Army:
Ryan Blackwell (1997-2000): He transferred to Syracuse after spending one year at Illinois and started every game over three seasons, a total of 100 contests. He totaled 1,175 points and averaged 11.8 points and 7.8 rebounds during his collegiate career. He played professionally in England, France, Japan, Portugal and Uruguay, before embarking on a coaching career. He spent the past winter as men's coach at Liverpool High School.
Eric Devendorf (2005-09): Devendorf started 90 of 116 games while at Syracuse. He averaged 14.5 points per game and accumulated 1,680 in his career. In 2008-09, Devendorf averaged 15.7 ppg. and converted 82 3-point baskets. He played in the infamous six-overtime game with Connecticut in the 2009 BIG EAST Conference Tournament. Devendorf was a member of the Super City Rangers, a pro team in New Zealand, this past spring. He averaged 26.5 points per game.
C.J. Fair (2010-14): Fair was the first Syracuse performer to earn first-team All-ACC honors when he was selected in 2013-14. Fair was a 2014 consensus All-American pick. He scored 1,660 points at Syracuse and averaged 11.6 points an outing. He spent the past winter with the Ft. Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA D-League and averaged 16.0 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. He played for Portland in the Las Vegas Summer League this week.
Donte Greene (2007-08): He averaged 17.7 points and 7.7 rebounds a game in his single season at Syracuse. He earned second-team All-BIG EAST Conference. Greene was selected 28th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2008 NBA Draft. He played four seasons in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings. He played overseas with Al-Nasr of the United Arab Emirates in 2015.
Rick Jackson (2007-11): He scored 1,245 career points in 143 career games with the Orange. Jackson averaged 8.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. He peaked in his senior season, averaging 13.1 points and 10.3 rebounds, and earning Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American laurels. Jackson was the 2010-11 BIG EAST Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He signed with Provence on the French LNB Pro B league in April. Jackson spent some time in the NBA D-League in 2015-16.
Baye Moussa Keita (2010-14): He played in 142 games over four seasons with the Orange and was a key reserve in the post. He has played two seasons in Europe since graduating from Syracuse. He has played the past two seasons with Horsens IC in Denmark and was part of back-to-back Danish League championships.
Terrence Roberts (2003-07): Roberts started every game as a junior and senior and finished his Syracuse career just shy of 1,000 career points (963). He averaged a personal best 10.7 points in 2005-06 and 8.1 rebounds in 2006-07. Roberts was a teammate of Devendorf's on the Super City Rangers in New Zealand.Â
Brandon Triche (2009-13): Triche was with the first-string for all 147 games of his Orange tenure. A prep standout at nearby Jamesville-DeWitt High School, he scored 1,564 points during his collegiate career. He was third-team All-BIG EAST Conference after averaging 13.6 points per game as a senior. He played two seasons of professional basketball in Italy but missed the past campaign after suffering a knee injury.
Hakim Warrick (2001-05): The owner of the most famous blocked shot in Syracuse basketball history, Warrick was the 2005 BIG EAST Conference Player of the Year and a two-time, first-team All-BIG EAST selection. He is one of six SU players who scored 2,000 career points, tallying 2,003 in 135 games. Warrick averaged 21.4 points and 8.6 rebounds as a senior and earned consensus All-America honors. Warrick was selected 19th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft by Memphis. He played in eight NBA seasons. He has played in Australia, China, Turkey and most recently Greece.
Darryl Watkins (2003-07): Watkins went from a part-time player to a two-year starter at Syracuse. He averaged a personal-best 8.1 points and 7.5 rebounds as a senior. He spent brief stints with Sacramento and New Orleans in the NBA. He played in 2015-16 with Asvel Lyon-Villeurbanne in France and averaged 8.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.
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