Syracuse Basketball Brothers

Syracuse University has the well publicized all-family affair this year with Coach Jim Boeheim, and his two sons Buddy and Jimmy playing on the squad.  They are the 14th set of brothers to play for the Orangemen, and the sixth set to play on the same team.

Chronologically, these are the other sets of brothers.

Max Riehl was a four year player/three year starter for the Orangemen from 1905 to 1908.  He was known as being a good ball handler, and handled the critical center position his last two seasons.  His younger brother Albert played guard for the Orangemen from 1911 to 1913.  Albert played a vital reserve his first two seasons and was a starter his senior year. 

David Lee played forward for the Orangemen for two seasons, 1906 and 1907.  He was the second leading scorer his senior year, and the top scorer from the floor, averaging over 6 points a game.  His younger brother Matt played three seasons from 1908 to 1910.  He was a sharp shooting forward, and led the Orangemen in scoring his junior and senior seasons, as well as serving as the team captain his senior year.  Matt scored over 328 points in his career, while David scored over 50.

Walt Darby was a starting guard for Syracuse in 1909, and played another season.  His brother Sam played one game in 1913.

John Cronauer was one of the stars of the 1918 Helms Foundation National Champion Orangemen.  John was second in overall scoring, and the leading scorer from the field averaging 8.8 points per game   His older brother Ed played with him that same season primarily in a reserve role.  John died suddenly of heart failure at the age of 20 the start of his junior year.  Ed, on the other hand, lived to be 100.  John scored 141 points in his brief career, while Ed scored 4.

Ev Katz was a vital part of the famed Reindeer Five squad from 1929 to 1931.  He was a steady scorer, an extremely fast player, and was credited with being one of the first players in the country to utilize the one handed set shot. His younger brother Milt would play basketball with Everett for two seasons, in a reserve role.  Ev would score 470 points in his three seasons, while Milt scored 1 point.

Elmer Maister was an outstanding defensive guard who started for three seasons from 1932 to 1934. His older brother Mike was a star on the freshman football and basketball teams. He was slated to be a starter on the basketball team in 1926, but had academic issues and played only one game.  Elmer scored 179 points, while Mike failed to score.

Jim Bruett was a reserve center on the basketball team for one season 1938, scoring 5 points.  His younger brother Bill was a reserve guard for three seasons from 1939 to 1941 scoring 4 points.

John Beck was a solid reserve for the Orange for three seasons., playing both the guard and center positions from 1948 to 1950.  His older brother Charles was a reserve guard for two seasons, from 1942 to 1943.  John scored 150 points while Charles scored 2.

Joe Glacken played for the Orangemen during the World War II era, with two seasons pre-war (1942-1943), and one season post war (1947). Joe led the team in scoring his sophomore season despite primarily being a reserve player.  He would be the team captain his senior season, though he was a reserve.  His younger brother Ed joined him on the team in 1947, also playing in the majority of the games, but as a reserve.  The Glacken brothers also played on the Syracuse baseball team together.

Three Stark brothers played basketball for the Orange. Mike was the oldest, and played four seasons from 1946 to 1950.  Mike had excellent shooting skills, and though small, he was a spark to the offense.  Pat was a guard for two seasons 1952 and 1953, but he played basketball after the football season end. Pat had All East All-American status in football at quarterback his junior and senior seasons.  Lou was the youngest, and was a reserve in 22 games in 1955 and 1956.  Mike scored 257 points in his career, Pat 161, and Lou 11. 

Bill and Bob Finney played in 1972.  Bill was a key reserve his sophomore year, and a starter for most of his junior year.  He would be injured and miss the 1971 season, returning in 1972 to join his brother.  Bob was a seldom used reserve his sophomore and junior seasons, and would transfer after his junior year.  Bill would score 324 points in his career, Bob scored 8.

Mike and Jimmy Lee were by far the best brother combination in Syracuse history.  Both scored over 1,000 points in their careers (Mike with 1,351, Jimmy with 1,165). Mike was a three year starting forward, known for his tenacious rebounding and prolific scoring.  He was a solid free throw shooter making 78.7% of his attempts, including 34 consecutive.  Jimmy a significant contributor all three seasons, he played, and a starter his junior and senior seasons.  Jimmy was a terrific free throw shooter making 85.9% of his free throw attempts, and was well known for his perimeter shooting. He made a clutch 18 foot jumper to beat North Carolina in the huge upset in the 1975 NCAA tournament. The two brothers played together in the 1973 season.

Currently the Orange has Shane Feldman on the team as a walk on guard.  He played one game as a freshman in 2021. His older brother Ky was a walk on guard for four seasons 2016 through 2019, scoring 10 points.  

Of the brothers mentioned above six played together:  Jimmy and Mike Lee for one year, Joe and Ed Glacken for one year, Everett and Milt Katz for two years, Bill and Bob Finney for one season, and John and Ed Cronauer for one season.   Jimmy and Mike Lee led the Orangemen to a 24-5 record in 1973 and an NCAA berth.  The brothers averaged 25.9 points, 4.7 assists, and 7.7 rebounds per game. 

If Buddy and Jimmy can have success together like the Lee brothers, this should be a good year for Syracuse.

OrangeHoops 2016 Hall of Fame

In 2007, OrangeHoops inducted its charter class into the OrangeHoops Hall of Fame: Dave Bing, Derrick Coleman, Sherman Douglas, Vic Hanson, and Pearl Washington. The next eight years saw the addition of Billy Owens (2008), Billy Gabor (2009), Lawrence Moten (2010), Louis Orr (2011), Roosevelt Bouie (2011)  John Wallace (2012),  Rony Seikaly (2013), Vinnie Cohen (2014) and Etan Thomas (2015).  So the list now stands at 14. Another year has passed, and now it is time for the 2016 inductee.

I established my rules for the OrangeHoops Hall of Fame back in 2007 and you can catch up on them here. 2016 does have six new eligible candidates (using the fifteen year rule): Allen Griffin, Damone Brown, Rob McClanaghan, Tim Byrnes, Chris Schau, Mike Rosenblum

Allen Griffin was a four year player for the Orangemen with an unusual career.  His freshman year he was a reserve guard playing in all but one game.  His sophomore year he was the starting shooting guard, rotating playing time with Tony Bland and Preston Shumpert.  He would lose his starting position his junior season. While he still played over 10 minutes a game, he was behind Tony Bland, Preston Shumpert, Jason Hart and DeShaun Williams on the depth chart.  When Hart graduated, Griffin would move back into the starting lineup as the point guard, and would play more minutes than any other player that year.  He would have a triple double against Pittsburgh with 14 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds.  The next game he would score 31 points in leading the Orangemen to an overtime win against St. John’s; Griffin would make 18 of 22 free throw in that game.

Damone Brown was a skinny forward, who developed a good mid range jump shot, and became a decent rebounder. After playing only 53 minutes his freshman year, he was a starter his final three years at Syracuse, and was named Second Team All Big East his senior year.  Brown would have a brief four year career in the NBA.

Rob McClanaghan, Tim Byrnes, Chris Schau and Mike Rosenblum were all walk-on players for Syracuse.  McClanaghan was a three year player scoring 20 points,  Byrnes a one year graduate player who failed to score, Schau a three year walk-on who failed to score, and Rosenblum a two year walk-on who failed to score.

None of the candidates from 2000-2001 would make my top 10 candidates.

I think this year’s viable top 10 candidates come down to the following, listed chronologically: Lew Castle, Joe Schwarzer, Lew Andreas, Jon Cincebox, Jimmy Lee, Rudy Hackett, Leo Rautins, Rafael Addison, Stephen Thompson, and Jason Hart.

Castle was a two time All-American at Syracuse, and was captain and leading scorer of Syracuse’s only undefeated team, the 1913-1914 squad that went 12-0.

Schwarzer was a two time All-American, and was captain and leading scorer of the 1917-1918 squad that went 16-1 and was retroactively named the National Champions by the Helms Foundation.

Andreas coached Syracuse basketball for 27 seasons, including the 19-1 1925-1926 squad that was awarded the Helms Foundation National Championship. He had a career record of 358-134, and he was the Syracuse Athletic Director for 28 years (1937-1964).

Cincebox was on the best rebounders in Syracuse history (in an era when rebounding numbers were admittedly high).  He helped Syracuse to the NCAA Elite Eight in 1956-1957, as the dominant big man for the Orangemen.

Lee was a clutch shooter with terrific perimeter range, and outstanding free throw shooting ability. He was able to use his shooting ability to set himself up as a solid passer. Lee's 18 foot jumper with five seconds remaining led the Orangemen to beat heavily favored North Carolina, as the Orangemen eventually moved on to their first NCAA Final Four. Lee would end up making the All-Tournament team for his outstanding performances.

Hackett was a powerful forward who could run the court well. He was a great rebounder and terrific scorer near the hoop.  He led the Orangemen in scoring his senior year and helped lead Syracuse to its first Final Four in 1975.

Rautins was a terrific ball-handling forward with a nice shooting touch, solid rebounding and scoring skills. He is most well known for his game winning tip in basket to win the Big East Championship in triple overtime against Villanova in 1981.  Rautins also recorded two triple-doubles in Big East action.

Addison was a gangly small forward who earned a reputation for being one of the most underrated players in the country.  He possessed an excellent mid range jump shot, was decent passing the ball, and was a solid free throw shooter. He led the team in scoring his sophomore and junior seasons.  He moved to shooting guard his senior year, and his 6’7” height helped with the mismatches. Unfortunately a leg injury impacted his effectiveness the second half of the season.

Thompson was an explosive swingman, with incredible quickness and vertical leap, and excellent defensive skills. He was extremely adept at playing above the basket though he was only about 6'2". He teamed with Sherman Douglas to perfect the alley-oop basket.  Thompson was an extremely proficient scorer, despite the fact he was a terrible perimeter shooter. 

Hart was a speedy defensive point guard, and a four year starter.  He was a decent ball handler, and finished his career as the number two assist man all time at Syracuse. He was much better on the defensive end, and would finish as SU's all-time leader in steals.  Hart would have a 9 year career in the NBA, mostly as a backup guard.

All are worthy players, and tough selections to make.  I designed my selection rules to make it tough; the Hall of Fame should be the 'best of the best', and I would rather have a line of worthy players outside the Hall of Fame, than cheapen it by having lessor players included.

This may be the toughest pick for me in all the years so far.  Ten very good candidates, and a couple of those players are among my all-time personal favorites.  My 2016 inductee is Joe Schwarzer. 

Joe Schwarzer

Joe Schwarzer was the star of the Orangemen from 1916 to 1918.  He was a two time All American and an excellent ball handler. In that era, the center position did much of the ball handling on offense, as the ball moved through that position before being passed to other players.  He was also the best free throw shooter on the team, earning the distinction of being the designated free throw shooter his senior year.  He led the team to a 16-1 record his senior year, and the team was recognized as the best team in the country by the Helms Foundation.  He is considered Syracuse's best all-around basketball player prior to Vic Hanson’s arrival.

Schwarzer was an excellent all-around athlete. He lettered four times in football as an End (wide receiver), and earned All-American status his senior year. He also lettered in baseball. Schwarzer was the captain of the basketball, baseball and football teams.  He would earn a law degree from Syracuse.

Schwarzer passed away in 1989.

Congratulations to Joe Schwarzer, the OrangeHoops 2016 Hall of Fame inductee.

Orange Hoops Hall of Fame 2015

In 2007, OrangeHoops inducted its charter class into the OrangeHoops Hall of Fame: Dave Bing, Derrick Coleman, Sherman Douglas, Vic Hanson, and Pearl Washington. The next six years saw the addition of Billy Owens (2008), Billy Gabor (2009), Lawrence Moten (2010), Louis Orr (2011), Roosevelt Bouie (2011)  John Wallace (2012),  Rony Seikaly (2013) and Vinnie Cohen (2014).  So the list now stands at 13. Another year has passed, and now it is time for the 2015 inductee.

I established my rules for the OrangeHoops Hall of Fame back in 2007 and you can catch up on them here. 2015 does have four new eligible candidates (using the fifteen year rule): Jason Hart, Tony Bland, Ryan Blackwell, and Etan Thomas

Jason Hart was a four year starting point guard at Syracuse.  He was an outstanding defensive guard with great quickness.  He was a decent scorer and playmaker though prone to some poor decision making.  He was All Big East First team his senior year, and finished his career as SU's all-time leader in steals and second in assists.

Tony Bland was a shooting guard for Syracuse who played for the Orangemen for two seasons. He was the starter his sophomore year, though he averaged only 20 minutes per game as the Orangemen had a lot of talent at the guard position. He would transfer to San Diego State after his sophomore year where he would then be a two year starter and would lead the Aztecs in scoring his senior year.

Ryan Blackwell was a starting forward for Syracuse for three seasons. He started his career at Illinois but transferred to Syracuse after his freshman year.  He was a good all around player, though stronger on the defensive end of the court than the offensive end.  

Etan Thomas was an outstanding defensive center for Syracuse for four seasons. He played both forward and center his freshman year, and was the starting center his last three years.  Thomas was an outstanding shot blocker and developed into a terrific rebounder.  He was highly efficient on offense, and developed a series of low post moves by his senior year that made him a terrific scorer in Syracuse's slow down offense.  Thomas was the Big East Defensive player two years in a row, and was All Big East First team his senior year.

Two of the candidates from 1999-2000, Hart and Thomas, would make my list of top 10 eligible candidates.

I think this year’s viable top 10 candidates come down to the following, listed chronologically: Lew Castle, Joe Schwarzer, Lew Andreas, Jon Cincebox, Jimmy Lee, Rudy Hackett, Leo Rautins, Stephen Thompson, Jason Hart and Etan Thomas.

Castle was a two time All-American at Syracuse, and was captain and leading scorer of Syracuse’s only undefeated team, the 1913-1914 squad that went 12-0.

Schwarzer was a two time All-American, and was captain and leading scorer of the 1917-1918 squad that went 16-1 and was retroactively named the National Champions by the Helms Foundation.

Andreas coached Syracuse basketball for 27 seasons, including the 19-1 1925-1926 squad that was awarded the Helms Foundation National Championship. He had a career record of 358-134, and he was the Syracuse Athletic Director for 28 years (1937-1964).

Cincebox was on the best rebounders in Syracuse history (in an era when rebounding numbers were admittedly high).  He helped Syracuse to the NCAA Elite Eight in 1956-1957, as the dominant big man for the Orangemen.

Lee was a clutch shooter with terrific perimeter range, and outstanding free throw shooting ability. He was able to use his shooting ability to set himself up as a solid passer. Lee's 18 foot jumper with five seconds remaining led the Orangemen to beat heavily favored North Carolina, as the Orangemen eventually moved on to their first NCAA Final Four. Lee would end up making the All-Tournament team for his outstanding performances.

Hackett was a powerful forward who could run the court well. He was a great rebounder and terrific scorer near the hoop.  He led the Orangemen in scoring his senior year and helped lead Syracuse to its first Final Four in 1975.

Rautins was a terrific ball-handling forward with a nice shooting touch, solid rebounding and scoring skills. He is most well known for his game winning tip in basket to win the Big East Championship in triple overtime against Villanova in 1981.  Rautins also recorded two triple-doubles in Big East action.

Thompson was an explosive swingman, with incredible quickness and vertical leap, and excellent defensive skills. He was extremely adept at playing above the basket though he was only about 6'2". He teamed with Sherman Douglas to perfect the alley-oop basket.  Thompson was an extremely proficient scorer, despite the fact he was a terrible perimeter shooter.  

All are worthy players, and tough selections to make.  I designed my selection rules to make it tough; the Hall of Fame should be the 'best of the best', and I would rather have a line of worthy players outside the Hall of Fame, than cheapen it by having lessor players included.

This may be the toughest pick for me in all the years so far.  Ten very good candidates, and a couple of those players are among my all-time personal favorites.  My 2015 inductee is Etan Thomas.  

Thomas is perhaps the best defensive center in Syracuse history, which would give him a nod over Rony Seikaly and Roosevelt Bouie.  He was the anchor on an outstanding defensive Syracuse team for four seasons, and helped them rise to #4 in the polls during the mid season of his senior year.  

Thomas was the 12th overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks.  He would be traded to the Washington Wizards and spend most of his career there. Thomas was a solid reserve player for most his career, and missed the 2007-2008 season due to open heart surgery.

Thomas would also become an author and a poet.

Congratulations to Etan Thomas, the 2015 Inductee into the Orange Hoops Hall of Fame.

All in the Family

Brandon Triche comes to the Syracuse basketball team this fall, and it will be interesting on how he does. He has big shoes to fill with Jonny Flynn leaving early for the NBA, but Triche has been under the spotlight for several years now. As it is well known, his uncle Howard Triche, was a starting forward on the 1987 team that lost the NCAA Title to Indiana by a shot.

The pairing of Brandon and Howard Triche would be the 19th pairing of relatives in Syracuse basketball history. I must admit there may be some relatives I’ve missed… the nineteen are the only ones I could verify so far.

Ironically, this will not even be the first time that Howard Triche makes the list. His cousin was Jason Hart, and Hart played quite successfully for the Orangemen, and has had a lengthy NBA career.

I won’t go through the entire list; you can check it out yourself. However, there have been some notable family combinations for the Orangemen.

First, let me start with the combination that is not on the list, but I think deserves some mention: the Thompson brothers. Billy Thompson was a solid player for Syracuse in the late 1930s, a three year starter and high scorer for his era. His brother Bobby, was an outstanding high school player in the early 1920s, and the star of the Syracuse Freshman team. Bobby Thompson was considered one of the top upcoming basketball players in the country, but was sidelined by poor health, and would never play for the Orange varsity. I thought they deserved a mention.

I think there were six prolific family combination in Syracuse history. The first was the Riehl Brothers, Max and Albert. Max was a three year starter for the Orangemen, playing from 1905-08. He was part of the famed Buffalo German AAU team, and helped bring the Orange basketball program to promise. Albert played for Syracuse for three years, 1911-1913, and while not nearly as good as his older brother, he was a starter his senior year.

Next came the Lee brothers of Newark, NY (don’t get them confused with their 1970s counterparts). David Lee played for Syracuse from 1906-1907 and his younger brother Matt would play from 1908-1910. David was a solid forward, and a good score. Matt would essentially replace David when he graduated, and Matt would be a three year starter, a prolific scorer; he would lead his team in scoring in every game but one his senior year.

Syracuse would have to wait almost forty years for the next prominent family connection. There were some potential strong unions in between: the aforementioned Thompson brothers, the Katz brothers of the 30s, Maister brothers of the 30s, Glacken brothers of the 40s. But either injury, or academic ineligibility, or World War II, would disrupt things.

After World War II, the Stark brothers would make their appearance. Mike, Pat and Lou were all outstanding athletes, and would all have some time on the hardwood. Mike was a four year player; a small player, but very fast, and a sparkplug on the court from 1946-1950. Pat was the star quarterback of the football team; during the off season he would put some time into the basketball team in 1952 and 1953, and would be a starter for the portion of the 1953 team, averaging 9.7 points a game. Lou would be a reserve on the 1955 and 1956 teams.

The 1970s saw the emergence of the Lee brothers from Kirkwood, NY, and Syracuse would resurge under their leadership. Mike was a short forward at 6’3”, but a good rebounder and a terrific shooter both from the perimeter and the free throw line. The Orangemen would go to the postseason all three years of Mike’s career (a first for the school), and when younger brother Jimmy joined the team in 1973, the team would get to the NCAA tournament.

Jimmy played shooting guard, and was one of the best clutch shooters in Syracuse history. Mike was an outstanding free throw shooter, and Jimmy was even better. Jimmy would team up with Rudy Hackett, and give the Orangemen a Cinderella story run to the Final Four in 1975.

The Lee brothers would score a combined 2,516 points at Syracuse, and shot 606 of 744 (81%) from the free throw line. They were easily the best brother combination in Syracuse history.

In the early 1980s, the Rautins family legacy began at Syracuse when Leo transferred from Minnesota. Leo Rautins was an outstanding passing power forward, who often played at the top of the key. He would score 12.1 points a game in his three year career (1981-1983), along with 5.0 assists and 6.1 rebounds. Leo is best known for his game winning tip in to win the 1981 Big East tournament in triple overtime. He would be a first round draft pick, and would play for the Philadelphia 76’ers a few years before injuries kept him out of the league.

Leo’s son Andy is quite familiar to Syracuse fans these days as the teams three point shooting threat. Andy did not play much his freshman year, but has been a solid starter/sixth man ever since, and is entering his senior season. Rautins has been a regular on the Canadian National Team the past three seasons (which Leo has coached). The Rautins have scored a combined 1,728 points for Syracuse, and counting.

Finally, we get to the Triche/Hart family. Howard Triche barely played his first two seasons, before becoming a solid starter his junior and senior years. He would score 748 points in his career. Jason Hart was the starting point guard for Syracuse for four seasons (1997-2000), and has been in the NBA for the past 8 years. Hart was a tremendous defensive guard, with good scoring ability, and average point guard ability. Triche/Hart would score a combined 2,251 points for the Orangemen.

If I had to pick family as the top, I’d go with the Rautins duo, giving a nod to the Kirkwood Lees.

Best Backcourts Ever

Syracuse has an overabundance of talent at the guard position entering the 2008-2009 season. The starting backcourt at the end of the 2006-2007 season has returned from a season off due to injury (Eric Devendorf and Andy Rautins), and the backcourt from last season returns (Jonny Flynn, Paul Harris and Scoop Jardine). Jardine appears to be heading for a medical redshirt for this season, which will remove some of the clutter, and Harris will likely play his natural small forward position. A remaining backcourt of Flynn, Devendorf and Rautins is still an impressive trio.

How will this year’s backcourt compare to those of Syracuse’s past? The Orange have a long history of outstanding backcourts, and outstanding individuals in those backcourts. Back in October 2006, I had addressed my top five front courts of all time for Syracuse, but I must admit I held off on the backcourts because I found it quite challenging. As a general rule I tried to avoid considering a backcourt with one or two players from another season, but of course, rules are made to be broken. And if three players rotated through the backcourt, I counted them all. That having been said, here is my top 10 Syracuse backcourts, in reverse order:

At number 10 I have the 1978-1979 triumvirate of Hal Cohen, Marty Headd and Eddie Moss. This trio played together for two seasons, but I chose their first season together as their best effort. Eddie Moss was a good playmaker and a great defensive player, Cohen a solid playmaker with a nice jump shot and Headd a tremendous mid range jump shooter. This tri did not do a ton of scoring, but still had decent numbers with Cohen at 8.1 ppg, Headd 12.4 and Moss 6.6 ppg. But they did not need to score much when the front court was loaded with Roosevelt Bouie, Louis Orr, Dale Shackleford and Danny Schayes. This team would go to a 26-4 record.

At number 9 is the 1973-1974 duo of Dennis DuVal and Jimmy Lee. This team ran a ‘showtime’ style offense at coach Roy Danforth’s request, with DuVal putting the ‘flash’ on things, averaging 20.6 points a game with 3.4 assists. Lee was the perfect compliment, a clutch perimeter shooter with 13.7 ppg along with 4.1 assists; Lee was deadly at the free throw line making 81.3% of his charity shots. I would have ranked this duo higher, but Syracuse finished at 19-7, and the sum of the parts of the whole team did not seem to match that of the individuals.

At number 8 is the 1993-1994 backcourts of Adrian Autry and Lawrence Moten. This was one of my favorite backcourts to watch with the big (6’4”) steady Autry at the point, and the smooth all-around terrific play of ‘Poetry in ‘ Moten at the two guard. Both Autry and Moten could score (16.7 ppg and 20.5 ppg respectively), and both were decent rebounders. Moten’s perimeter shooting suffered that year, though he led the team in 3 point shots made, and Autry hit 37% of this perimeter shots. There was nothing dynamic about this duo, just good solid basketball, and they both racked up a few 30 point games that year.

Number 7 is the 1985-1986 backcourt of Pearl Washington and Rafael Addison. Jim Boeheim had moved the underrated Addison from forward to the backcourt to get Howard Triche into the starting lineup, giving Syracuse tremendous talent in the backcourt. The Pearl was spectacular in what would be his last season on the hill, scoring 17.3 ppg and averaging 7.8 assists, and continuing to prove that he one man press breaker. Addison had a solid season with 15 ppg, 4.2 assists, and 5.6 rebounds, but was hampered by a leg injury during the second half of the season, affecting both his and the team’s play.

Number 6 is the 1965-1966 backcourt of Dave Bing, Jim Boeheim and Sam Penceal. Coach Fred Lewis employed a three guard offense most the season with Bing playing more the small forward than guard position. However, this backcourt makes the list purely on his talent along. Penceal was an outstanding defensive player who was called up to stop the opposing team’s leading scorer (he did an outstanding job on Bill Bradley one year). Boeheim was a stead guard averaging 14.6 ppg, and making almost 57% of his shots. But Bing was the star, averaging a school record 28.4 ppg, along with 6.6 assists and 10.8 rebounds. This Syracuse squad was the first NCAA team to average 100 ppg for the regular season (their average dropped below that in the post season), as the Orangemen went on to a 22-6 record.

At number 5 was the 1971-1972 backcourt of Dennis DuVal and Greg Kohls. This was probably the most spectacular scoring backcourt of Syracuse history, with the flashy DuVal averaging 15.8 points a game driving to the hoop, and Kohls launching shots from all locations long and far, averaging an amazing 26.7 points a game (keeping in mind, there was no three point basket). Kohls was one of the greatest free throw shooters in Syracuse history, hitting 86.4% of his attempts that year (and he knew how to draw the foul getting 257 attempts). This was ‘Roys Runts’ where Syracuse had four starters 6’1” or shorter, and a center at 6’5”. Yet, they were able to go 22-6 in part to a scrappy team persona, and in part to this tremendous backcourt.

At number 4 was the 1930-1931 Reindeer Five backcourt of Ev Katz and Dan Fogarty. The duo played together for three seasons, and this was their third and final year. Katz was one of the leading scorers on the team, averaging nearly 10 points a game, and was tremendous as the one handed set shot. Fogarty was the best defensive player on the team and was counted upon to shut down the leading scorer of the other team, regardless of the position he played. Both were extremely fast players, and the Orangemen would go 16-4 that year (after going 11-4 and 18-2 in their first two years together).

Number 3 is the 1933-1934 backcourt of Elmer ‘Elky’ Maister and Ronnie Phillips. Maister and Phillips were considered by many to be the best backcourt in Syracuse for the first half of the century. The duo started together for three years, with Maister being the team’s defensive specialist and Phillips the team’s deadeye shooter. Phillips would lead the team in scoring their senior year at 8 ½ points a game, as the Orangemen would go 15-2, 12-0 at home.

At number 2 is the 2002-2003 trio of Gerry McNamara, Kueth Duany and Billy Edelin. McNamara was the surprise point guard because Edelin was suspended for the first semester. This trio provided coach Boeheim with a perfect compliment of tools. McNamara turned out to be very adept at the point, and was as clutch a three point shooter as ever that season, on his way to 13.3 ppg. McNamara was also the schools best free throw shooter ever, icing games down the stretch with his 90.9% charity shooting. Duany was the perfect zone defender with a long lanky 6’4” body and great athleticism, plus the experience of being a 23 year old senior. Duany also was a decent three point shooter and rebounder, providing valuable contributions in both areas. Edelin was a big point guard (6’4”) able to pass over the zone, and to dribble penetrate down to the low post for the easy layup or dish off for nice pass. The trio helped Syracuse to the National Championship that season, each with their clutch performances along the way.

The top backcourt of all time would have to be the 1986-1987 duo of Sherman Douglas and Greg Monroe. Monroe had come to Syracuse as a point guard, but spent his first three seasons as a backup to the Pearl. Douglas backed up the Pearl his freshman year. Both got the chance to start this season with the Pearl and Addison gone, and they did not disappoint. Douglas picked up where Washington left off, running the Syracuse offense on high octane, and introducing the alley-oop pass as a staple play in the Syracuse playbook. Douglas could seem to make an assist pass from anywhere on the court, and down the stretch he had no problems stepping up and being ‘the guy’ to take the crucial shots. Monroe provided the steady hand in the backcourt, providing more playmaking, and outstanding three point shooting. Monroe developed the technique of camping outside the three point line and waiting for Douglas to kick back a pass to him for an open three (which Monroe hit 43.9% of during the season). The duo would help the Orangemen win the Big East Regular Season title, and would help the team to within a basket of winning the 1987 National Championship.

Impactful Orangemen

Syracuse has been blessed with several talented young men who have allowed Orange fans to enjoy many joyful moments over the years associated with the basketball program. Names like Dave Bing, Pearl Washington, Derrick Coleman, Sherman Douglas and Billy Owens are only a few of the names to have shined on the Hill.

There are some players, whether it was happenstance by being in the right place at the right time, or through their own presence, had a profound positive impact on Syracuse basketball, not only when they played, but over the years that followed.

The following is not a list of the ten best players in Syracuse basketball players (though it surely does contain some of the best), but rather those players who had a significant and lasting impact on the Orange basketball.

Roosevelt Bouie and Louis Orr starts out the list at number 10. The talented duo helped transform the Syracuse basketball program into a perennial top 10 program under rookie head coach Jim Boeheim. The Bouie & Louie Show drew national attention to the Syracuse program as the team went 100-18 over their four years. Post season success would not be obtained by the team, though four straight NCAA berths were secured. The arrival of the duo elevated Syracuse to a national program with an identity.

Art Powell was the leader of the Syracuse basketball team from 1904 through 1907, playing both center and guard. The Syracuse basketball program was fledgling before Powell arrived. Powell was immediately the star of the team. He had been highly an successful AAU player in Masden Park (Buffalo) for the Buffalo Germans before coming to Syracuse, and he convinced three of his teammates, George Kirchgasser, George Redlein and Max Riehl to come to Syracuse. These four players helped Syracuse build and sustain a successful basketball program in the early years.

At number eight is Vinnie Cohen. Cohen, more than any other player, was responsible for the successful integration of the Syracuse basketball program. Cohen wasn’t the first African American at Syracuse; Wilmeth Sidat-Singh was first, almost sixteen years earlier. But Syracuse did not have another African American player after Singh until the early 1950s. Cohen wasn’t even the first in his era, as Manny Breland and Ronnie Kilpatrick preceded him. However, Cohen was undoubtedly the star of the team his first year on the court (1954-1955), and would lead the Orangemen in scoring all three seasons. Cohen was a scholar athlete, eschewing opportunities to play professional basketball in order to obtain a law degree. He would elevate the Syracuse program from a 10-9 program (in 1954) to the school’s first NCAA bid and an elite eight appearance in the 1957 season. In a decade where Syracuse football was dominant, Cohen kept Syracuse basketball relevant and he proved that African American players were not only capable of playing on the team, but carrying it to the next level.

The Lee Brothers come in at number seven. Mike was an undersized forward with a solid shooting touch and outstanding hustle and determination on the court. Jimmy, two years his junior, was a sweet shooting guard, with a knack of hitting clutch jump shots. Both were fundamentally solid players with excellent free throw shooting and ball handling skills. Syracuse went 11-14, 9-16 and 12-12 before Mike Lee arrive. When Mike arrived for the 1970-1971 season, until Jimmy graduated in the 1974-1975 season, the Orange would go to the postseason every year, capping it with a strong underdog run to the NCAA Final Four in 1975. Syracuse had better players than the Lee’s when the arrived, and during their tenure, but the brothers the skill set and determination that help Roy Danforth build a solid program.

Vic Hanson is number six on the list. Hanson would turn Syracuse into the dominant team on the east coast, and would help launch the highly successful year of rookie head coach Lew Andreas. Syracuse went 8-12 and 8-10 the year before Hanson stepped on the varsity court; the Orange would go 15-2 his sophomore year, 19-1 his junior year, and 15-4 his senior year. Hanson’s junior year Syracuse was recognized as the #1 team in the nation by the Helms Foundation. Syracuse would maintain success after Hanson, and was a solid team throughout the 1930s. Hanson would coach basketball and football, and help recruit players for the Orange, remaining active with the program.

At number five comes the man who saved the Syracuse basketball program in the early 1990s. Syracuse was under scrutiny from the NCAA for rules violations, and the program was waiting for the punishment to be handed down. Syracuse recruiting was suffering as a result. Meanwhile, freshman Lawrence Moten came out of no where his freshman season to score 18.2 points a game. Moten was a fundamentally solid player, a quiet man who let his actions do his talking. He played with the confidence and maturity of a senior as a freshman, never forcing the action, and yet somehow always ending up with his 20 points at the end of the night. Syracuse would go on probation Moten’s sophomore year, but he the program never missed a beat as it continued to keep winning. A couple years after Moten left the Orange were back in the NCAA Final Four, and the impact of the NCAA probation was barely noticed.

Carmelo Anthony comes in at number 4. All Melo did was lead the Orangemen to their first NCAA National Championship in 2003, his lone season on the campus. Anthony averaged 22.2 points a game and 10.0 rebounds a game that season, and the team flowed offensively through him. He had a lot of help that championship season, particularly from Hakim Warrick and Gerry McNamara, but Anthony was the icon and leader. The season prior to Anthony, the team had imploded upon itself, and Anthony helped wipe away memories of that season. His presence in the spotlight, and continued success in the NBA, has helped Syracuse continue to recruit top flight talent. The program hasn’t built on Anthony’s success, which is keeping him lower on this list… but the championship alone is a significant impact.

Dwayne ‘The Pearl’ Washington is number three on the list. The Pearl was a highly recruited guard out of Brooklyn, with name recognition prior to coming to Syracuse. He came to the Hill, and was as good as advertised. The Pearl dazzled fans with his style of play, and immediately helped the Orangemen become competitive in the Big East, at a time when legendary players like Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin and Eddie Pinkney were leading other teams. Syracuse started to draw 30,000+ fans to the Carrier Dome to see the Pearl play, and Syracuse became one of the teams you had to watch on television. The Pearl brought exposure to the program that had never been seen before, and coach Jim Boeheim was able to recruit top talent such as Derrick Coleman, Stephen Thompson and Billy Owens as a result. The Pearl also helped an unknown guard Sherman Douglass learn the ropes during rough practice sessions, which delivered dividends for the Orange very shortly after the Pearl left.

Dave Bing is number two on the list. To say that the Syracuse basketball program was bad before Bing would be an understatement. Syracuse was 4-19, 2-22, and 8-13 before Dave Bing stepped on the varsity court, and Syracuse football was at its pinnacle of power. The basketball program could have faded into obscurity (if it in fact was not already there). As a freshman, more fans would flock to see the freshman team to watch Bing play than would watch the varsity. Bing would step on the court and take the Orange to the NIT Tournament his sophomore season, averaging 22.2 points a game and 8.2 rebounds. The team struggled early his junior season on the way to a disappointing 13-10 record, but would go to the NCAA Tournament his senior year with a 22-6 record, averaging a school record 28.4 points a game. The Orange barely missed averaging 100 points a game during the regular season, setting a new NCAA standard, this despite the fact that Bing was the only player who would end up in the NBA.

Bing would go on to have a Hall of Fame NBA career, and become a very successful businessman in Detroit. Bing would have further influence on the Syracuse program as he mentored a young Detroit kid named Derrick Coleman, and helped guide him to Syracuse. Bing would probably have made #1 on my list if the program had remained solid after his departure, but it dropped shortly afterwards until resurrection in the early 1970s.

The number one player on this list was Bing’s roommate at Syracuse. Jim Boeheim was a walk-on at Syracuse, eventually earning a scholarship, and teaming with Dave Bing in the backcourt. Boeheim’s impact of course, was not as a player. However, as a player he developed relationships with the school that would allow him to be the assistant basketball coach, helping to recruit for the Orange in the early 70s. When Roy Danforth stepped down, Boeheim jumped at the chance to be the head coach, and the university immediately saw dividends. Boeheim’s first recruit was Louis Orr, and the Orange rose to the #6 team in the nation in Boeheim’s rookie year. Thirty two seasons later, Boeheim has 771 wins, 3 Final Fours, 1 National Championship, 25 NCAA bids, 6 NIT bids, 5 Big East Championships, 13 appearances in the Big East Finals and 300 Big East wins. Boeheim took Syracuse to the national level, gaining tremendous exposure. He’s consistently recruited top players, had a keen eye for finding the great unknown players, and developed a reputation as the best zone defense coach in the country. The impact of Jim Boeheim on the program is undeniable, and Syracuse fans have been blessed that he has always considered Syracuse his dream job.

Jonesing for a Place on the List

Would you believe that Mike Jones, frosh forward for the Orange this year, is the first basketball player surnamed Jones in the 107 year history of Syracuse basketball? That’s including scholarship, walk-ons, scrubs, etc. As far as my research shows, he's the first.

There was a Smith (Bill), a couple of Johnsons (Dave & Derrick), a Washington (Pearl), a Jackson (Luke), and a couple of Wrights (Josh & Dayshawn).

The leaders: 5 Lees, 5 Starks and 5 Browns. The Lees were definitely the best of the bunch. There were the brothers Lee of the 70’s: Mike & Jimmy. Matthew Lee who was the star of the team back in 1910. Charlie Lee was one of the Three Musketeers with Vic Hanson & Gotch Carr who won the 1926 National Championship. David Lee who was team manager and star forward back in 1907.

The Starks were most notable because of the Stark Brothers (Mike, Pat and Lou), two of who are in the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame. Mike for his overall contributions to sports as a player and coach, and Pat because of his football prowess as a quarterback and later as a head coach. The other two Starks were Lou, a football player who played some hoops from 1934-1935, and John, a star player of the 1905-1906 teams.

The Browns had Damone Brown, a solid forward from 1998-2001 who played a little bit in the NBA. William Brown and Mel Brown played a little at Syracuse. Michael Brown was a smooth shooting guard who transferred from Syracuse in the mid 1990s. The fifth Brown? Some guy named Jim who apparently excelled at football and lacrosse.

There have been four Williams (DeShaun, Eric, Jimmy and some guy in 1945… first name unknown), four Scotts (Ollie, Tony, Walter, and H.D.), and four Katzs (Ev, Joel, Larry, Milton).

Even two guys name Suprunowicz (Dick and Bill), two name Baysinger, two named Glacken. Guys named Giusti, Konstanty, Jackimaiak, Simonaitis, Bartholomew and Sidat-Singh.

But never a guy named Jones. At least, not until the 2006-2007 season.