Boeheim’s Army Cruises Past Dubois Dream to Round Two of TBT

Boeheim’s Army had an excellent start to The Basketball Tournament as they cruised past Dubois Dream 99-66. Inside the Loud House recaps the game and tells you what’s next.

Maybe I’m just too pumped up, but this Boeheim’s Army team was awesome in its first action of this year’s TBT Tournament. The team quickly reminded us why we adore our former Syracuse Basketball players so much and why watching them is always a blast. The team started hot and never let up, winning 99-66 over Dubois Dream, a team with some Penn State alumni.

The star of the show right from the get-go was the newest addition to the team, John Gillon. After replacing Scoop Jardine just days before the tournament started, he showed why he deserved to be there. He rained shots from downtown, he distributed, and was solid from the point position all game long.

Gillon had his turnovers and lapses on defense, but he made up for those offensively. He finished with a team-high 26 points to go along with 5 assists.

Boeheim’s Army started the game on a 14-0 run, looking unstoppable behind the arc and on the glass. The team moved the ball around and, as a result, always found an open shooter to score points. Moreover, whatever shots they missed were usually cleaned up for second chance buckets.

Dubois Dream, after falling behind early, tried to rally multiple times in the second half with back-to-back threes to get within 20 points, but Boeheim’s Army always matched it with a run of their own. This Boeheim’s Army team proved to be too tall and too experienced.

For Syracuse Basketball fans in attendance at Philadelphia University and those watching at home on a computer and mobile device, it was like watching a highlight show. They got to see Syracuse Basketball players at their best in the way they remember them.

Current Syracuse Basketball Assistant coach and former player Eric Devendorf had his usually swagger. John Gillon had his usual, ‘I don’t know how I just made that’ expression time-and-time again. Rick Jackson showed us that big smile, and Trevor Cooney was, well, Trevor Cooney with his constant chucking of threes.

Maybe I’m just hyped up, but this was like watching an All-Star game featuring Syracuse Basketball players playing at the top of their games. It was a spectacle and i’m sure i’ll watch it over and over again on ESPN3 replay for weeks to come.

Boeheim’s Army didn’t have James Southerland for this game, as he’s playing in the NBA Summer League for the Utah Jazz. Donte Greene also didn’t play as he was at a wedding, but will play tomorrow. Though the team played well without them, having them on board will only help the team.

If I had to name an MVP of this one though, it was definitely Brandon Triche who led the team with a triple double. He had 11 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists. Dubois Dream had a hard time covering him and as a result he had multiple alley-oop assists and multiple rebounds off missed shots. Below is one of those assists to CJ Fair.

All in all, Boeheim’s Army had six players score in double figures. Below is a breakdown of how each player did for Boeheim’s Army

Boeheim Army Box Score

(all stats courtesy of TBT website)

• John Gillon– 26 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals
• CJ Fair– 16 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 3 steals
• Eric Devendorf– 15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
• Trevor Cooney– 15 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist
• Rick Jackson– 12 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks
• Brandon Triche– 11 points, 11 rebounds, 12 assists, and 2 steals
• DaShonte Riley– 4 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks

Other Notable Team Statistics

Team FG: 38-74 (51.4%)

Team 3PT-FG: 11-27 (40.7%)

FT’s: 12-21 (57.1%)

Assists: 23

Rebounds: 49 (11 Off. RB)

Three Things That Stood Out

1. In the past, Boeheim’s Army would have too many forwards. But this year, the team has a nice balance between guards and forwards that sets it apart from previous teams. The addition of Gillon was huge as his leadership paid dividends to start this game and his shooting stroke is something that will come in handy in future games if the Army advances.
2. Riley was crucial as a shot blocker down low and was decent at pickling up boards. He definitely earned my respect back, because the last time I saw him in an Orange uniform he was unpolished and was not the center many fans expected he could be as a high school recruit. He proved that if the Orange just gave him time, he could have really been something.
3. Eric Devendorf really didn’t have to steal the show this time around.  In the past, Devendorf has always been the one to lead the team in scoring at the point. But with Gillon and Triche playing so well at the point, he rarely had to play that role in this game. The team was so well balanced that he still got his looks without having to beg for the ball. We all know how capable a scorer Devo can be, so the fact that he felt in his element is great news for Boeheim’s Army. It just goes to show if you have good teammates, you can still get your numbers and lots of open looks.

How About those Jerseys, Eh? And Otto…. and Man Defense?

Hopefully, I’m not the only one but these jerseys were awesome. They reminded me of the McNamara, Warrick, and Carmelo days of old. All that was missing was the word ‘Syracuse’ across the chest. It was classic. No wonder they sold out days ago online when they put them up for sale.

In addition, did anyone notice that patch Boeheim’s Army had on? Boeheim’s Army made a statement by acknowledging the 1,000 win threshold Jim Boeheim passed this past year that the NCAA claims he didn’t achieve because Syracuse had wins vaccated. Since Syracuse University can’t officially acknowledge the achievement publicly, Boeheim’s Army wanted yet another way to rub it in the NCAA’s face while also honoring their beloved old ball coach. I say way to go guys! Nice move.

Also, I think its pretty neat Boeheim’s Army brought Otto along for the party. Though he’s not directly the mascot of the team, he does represent Syracuse University, which Boeheim’s Army clearly does as well. The fans loved him in Philly, as did fans from the seats of their couches. You just love seeing Otto, as he represents everything we love about Syracuse Athletics.

The weird thing was that Boeheim’s Army played less zone in this game as they have in year’s past. The thing is, it worked really well! Switching to man-to man defense from the 2-3 zone led to lots of steals. So whatever works, keep it up. Fans would rather see this team succeed and move on in the tournament than struggle on defense reusing the old zone they once employed at Syracuse.

Overall, Boeheim’s Army put on an all-around show today in Philly. From their play on the court, to their jerseys and its patches, to their team mascot. What else more can you want Syracuse fans?

Next: Boeheim’s Army: Jerseys are Throwback to Syracuse’s 2003 National Championship

Boeheim’s Army plays again tomorrow (lucky SU Basketball fans) at 2:45 pm versus Gael Nation, which is an an Iona Alumni team. Be sure to tune in once again to watch and root for our Syracuse basketball alumni team on ESPN3 and WatchESPN. For all other things Boeheim’s Army, check out Inside The Loud House for the latest news.