Syracuse Basketball: Key takeaways from Boeheim's Army's win in its first TBT game

After a one-year hiatus, Boeheim's Army is back in The Basketball Tournament (TBT). With Allen Griffin at the helm, Syracuse's favorite summer team had an easy time beating the Herkimer Originals 97-71 in Saturday's first round. Of course, the games will get harder moving forward, starting with Monday's second-round game against We Are D3. Here are some of the key takeaways from Boeheim's Army's first game in nearly two years.

Familiar Faces

Past editions of Boeheim's Army have been successful, but over the years, they became dominated by more non-Syracuse players than former Orange athletes. That's not the case with the 2025 team. Six of the 12 players played for Jim Boeheim, not including CNY native Charles Pride. In the tournament opener, Griffin put four former Syracuse players in the starting lineup, giving Boeheim's Army a true Orange flare.

No Zone

Any hope that Griffin would pay homage to Syracuse's history of playing the 2-3 zone was quickly squashed. Boeheim's Army came out in man-to-man defense and played it the whole game. In fairness, it's a little foolish to play zone in TBT, especially with so little practice time for the team beforehand. But a little zone for old time's sake wouldn't have hurt. Luckily, there are enough former Syracuse players on this team that Griffin could use it as a wrinkle at some point.

This is Buddy's Team

There were some questions about whether Buddy Boeheim would play in the TBT opener after playing in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. It also would have made sense if Buddy looked a little rusty after taking a red-eye Friday night. But he came out on fire on Saturday, shooting 7-for-9 from the perimeter for 24 points. Buddy wasn't shy about looking for his shot or even initiating the offense. He looks poised to lead the team and become the key figure offensively, and could be among the best players in the tournament, so don't be surprised if he's the one taking big shots when games are more competitive.

Shooter's Galore

Outside of Buddy, the Army isn't lacking shooters. Elijah Hughes also came out on fire in his TBT debut. He and Buddy combined for 12 made three-pointers on Saturday, giving them a chance to stretch the floor against teams. Just for good measure, Malachi Richardson knocked down a pair of threes off the bench. Frank Mason and Pride can also provide outside shooting off the bench, making this one of Boeheim's Army's biggest strengths.

Share the Rock

It's a little easier to share the rock when you're blowing out an inferior team, but even when Herkimer Originals was within striking distance, Boeheim's Army was passing the ball with ease. Everyone on the floor was a willing passer, starting with point guard Jacob Gilyard, who finished with 11 assists. Even with Buddy shooting lights out and asserting himself offensively, he dished out five assists. Ultimately, Boeheim's Army had 27 assists on 38 made field goals against Herkimer Originals, which is a great sign moving forward.

Big Men

Other than the team's shooting, size was perhaps the most obvious strength for Boeheim's Army in the first round. The starting duo of Rakeem Christmas and Chris McCullough provides plenty of length and athleticism. The Army also has seven-footer Noah Starkey coming off the bench. While not the most athletic big man, Starkey will surely be useful at some point in the tournament. Power forwards Jamil Wilson and Nick Perkins should also join the team after being unavailable for the first round, further adding to the size and athleticism that Boeheim's Army will be able to throw at teams on both ends.