A quick take on Boeheim’s Army’s disappointing 84-72 loss to Brotherly Love on Sunday afternoon at SRC Arena:
WHAT HAPPENED: With Boeheim’s Army down 75-62 heading into the 83-point Elam Ending, Andrew White fouled Brotherly Love’s Frantz Massenat shooting a 3-pointer. Massenat hit three free throws to put Brotherly Love one point away from advancing to Chicago. On BL’s ensuing possession, Ramone Moore posted Eric Devendorf and hit a short shot in the paint to eliminate the Syracuse alumni team, 84-72. Though the teams were tied at 40 heading into halftime, Brotherly Love outscored BA’s 44-32 the rest of the way, grabbing decisive advantages in rebounds and points in the paint.
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ANALYSIS: Jim Boeheim joined the ESPN broadcast early in the second half, and immediately lamented that Boeheim’s Army needed “to get some rebounds.” As if on cue, Brotherly Love rebounded a miss and stuck in a layup plus a foul, a microcosm of Boeheim’s Army’s afternoon. Brotherly Love was +14 on the glass, including 25 offensive rebounds and +12 on points in the paint. BL also shot 50 percent from the field and hit eight 3-pointers, taking advantage of a lackadaisical BA defense, which looked gassed from playing three straight days.
HERO: Brotherly Love had balanced scoring, with five players scoring eight points or more, led by Novar Gadson’s 13 points. Hakim Warrick paced Boeheim’s Army with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Devendorf added 15 points.
ZERO: During his interview, Boeheim also commented that the Syracuse alumni team was getting hurt on the boards because their smaller lineup that featured Warrick at center was susceptible to giving up offensive rebounds. That’s where Boeheim’s Army could’ve used Chris McCullough, a rangy, lanky 6-foot-11 forward. But his overseas playing schedule conflicted with the TBT, and Devendorf and Jordan Crawford were seen on the back line of the zone.
WHAT’S NEXT: Boeheim’s Army will almost certainly be back for another run in the 2020 TBT. General Manager Kevin Belbey has not only put together a pipeline of former Syracuse players that have the talent to compete for the championship, but also has scored a coup in having the TBT regional played in the Syracuse area. It’s hard to imagine the TBT not returning to Syracuse given the packed arena over the three days in Central New York.
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