Malachi Richardson adds scoring, outside presence for Boeheim’s Army

Former Syracuse basketball star Malachi Richardson will provide even more offensive firepower to an already impressive Boeheim’s Army roster.

Malachi Richardson and Tyler Lydon made huge contributions to Syracuse basketball, as freshmen when the Orange went on a stunning journey from the March Madness bubble all the way to the 2016 Final Four.

Now, Richardson and his terrific scoring repertoire will again join forces with Lydon and his versatility, and hopefully, a similar outcome to the NCAA Tournament from four years ago will ensue.

This time, however, the former ‘Cuse sensations will suit up for Boeheim’s Army, the Syracuse-based crew that competes annually in the $2 million, winner-take-all The Basketball Tournament (“TBT”).

Boeheim’s Army, which has gone on several deep runs in the TBT but has yet to capture the grand prize, announced the addition of shooting guard Richardson to its line-up on Wednesday.

Lydon, a power forward, came on board April 14. Four days earlier than that, combo guard Eric Devendorf became the first member of the Boeheim’s Army 2020 roster.

What will Malachi Richardson bring to the table?

While the team’s ultimate make-up is far from completion, the initial three guys are intriguing. Richardson is a strong-scoring wing who can competently stroke the ball from deep, and he’s also really adept at effectively getting to the hoop.

Case in point, Richardson displayed those skills, and much more, when he torched top-seeded Virginia in the 2016 Elite Eight. The No. 10 seed Orange, down by 15 points in the second half, ended the regional final on a 29-8 spurt to triumph by six points.

After intermission, Richardson accumulated 21 of his 23 points, providing one of the most memorable games by a ‘Cuse player in Big Dance history.

At Boeheim’s Army, Richardson’s 3-point proficiency supplements Devendorf and Lydon, giving the squad a trio of long-range sharp-shooters.

That prowess from 3-point land is a significant asset for Boeheim’s Army in the TBT, which is scheduled to take place from late July through early August.

The SRC Arena, on the campus of Onondaga Community College, plans to host several TBT encounters from July 31 to Aug. 2. This is all under the assumption, however, that the novel coronavirus pandemic doesn’t force officials to either postpone or cancel the tournament altogether.

With Richardson in tow, Boeheim’s Army has two former first-round picks in the NBA Draft – Richardson in 2016, and Lydon in 2017. Boeheim’s Army has an agile stretch-four in Lydon who can score on the perimeter and in the interior while passing and rebounding well.

Devendorf, an aggressive driver and floor general, is a veteran of the annual summer event. He will nicely complement Richardson and Lydon as far as Boeheim’s Army experience goes, as the latter pair is TBT newbies.