In this Boeheim’s Army 2019 Player Series we will feature the members of this year’s TBT (The Basketball Tournament) squad, and what’s happened since we saw them last. Up next: Andrew White III.
Boeheim’s Army is back for another year, joining the 2019 TBT (The Basketball Tournament) tournament. This year’s squad has it all: 2003 greats, former standouts, guys who want to add to their Syracuse basketball legacy, and grad-transfers who only had one year to show us how they much they bleed Orange. Among those is none other than sharpshooter Andrew White III.
Since White only played for Syracuse basketball team a couple of years ago and played great, he remains a name Orange fans will not soon forget. Though he didn’t bring Syracuse any championships in 2016-2017 or lead them to the NCAA tournament, he did have a record-setting year, especially from three for the Orange.
As a grad transfer who had bad drama with both Kansas and Nebraska before he transferred to Syracuse, he immediately put the past behind him and made an immediate impression. With a winning attitude and a knack for scoring, he learned to play unselfish basketball while still putting up great numbers.
Mostly known for his three-point shooting, White also had the ability to shake defenders and drive to the rim if needed. Though his defense wasn’t necessarily top-notch, his length on the wings and at guard made him an asset in the 2-3 zone regardless.
White would go on lead the team in scoring with 18.5 points per game which he paired with 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 1.1 assists per game, according to Cuse.com. He would start all 34 games and scored in double figures in 31 of those 34 games. In addition, he would shoot 44% from the field and 40% from three-point range.
In terms of all-time records, he would also surpass Gerry McNamara for the individual school record for most three-point makes in a season with 109, according to Syracuse.com. That alone is one reason why Syracuse fans will not easily forget him.
Since his college days, White has found himself playing in the NBA for a brief time as well as the G-League (the NBA’s developmental league) as well as in Turkey, according to Syracuse.com. Last year for the Maine Red Claws in the G-League he averaged 12.9 points to pair with 3.8 rebounds per game, and shot 37% from three, according to the G-League website.
His ability to hit mid-range shots as well as the three makes him a huge get for Boeheim’s Army. At 6-foot-7 he can play guard or forward for the team. Since most guards are likely to be shorter than him in TBT it makes sense that coach Ryan Blackwell will find a time for him to play minutes at shooting guard. in that role, he can go off and get huge buckets for Boeheim’ Army when they need a run.
This year’s depth on Boeheim’s Army was already pretty good, but it became that much better when they added White. White can score in droves, and in a tournament where shooting seems to help you advance more than defense, having him on the team is something that might turn out to be the difference in winning The Basketball Tournament Championship this year.