Devendorf: Only One Thing Has Changed

Story by Aubrie Tolliver
Staff photos

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The trophy from the 2003 National Championship glistens in its glass shrine. Banners, trophies and pictures line every inch of the walls. But early Thursday evening the Carmelo Anthony Center featured more than the usual pieces of Syracuse sports history— well-known alumni of the Syracuse basketball team in action on the court..

Members of Boeheim’s Army returned home to their alma mater this week to prepare for the first round of The Basketball Tournament (TBT), scrimmaging against current members of the SU team.

One very recognizable face on the court is that of Eric Devendorf, the shooting guard from Bay City, Michigan. He played in the 2006-2009 seasons with the Orange and will be sporting the number 23 on his Army jersey, just like the one he wore on Syracuse.

Devendorf played with the Army in last year’s TBT, where the team was one win away from cracking the top four but fell to the City of Gods—a team that features two former NBA top-10 draft picks—in the Northeast Regional Championship game.

Still the Same Guy

During his college career, Devendorf averaged 14.5 points a game with a 43.6 shooting percentage. Head Coach Jim Boeheim gave him a starting spot just six games into his freshman season.

But, his stats aren’t the only thing that Syracuse fanatics reminisce about. Another was watching the hot-headed, trash-talking, all-or-nothing entertainer they came to know and love. Orange fans can still picture him standing on top of a table in Madison Square Garden after making a shot that seemed to have beaten Connecticut in regulation in the Big East tournament, but was waved off. Syracuse went on to win the game in a classic six overtimes.

And not much has changed in that regard. Devendorf was tossed from a TBT game last season after getting into a verbal altercation with an opposing player.

Devendorf says he plays with the same amount of intensity that he did while wearing Orange.  The only thing that has changed about his game, he says, is his age. He's now 29.

“I got a little bit older so maybe a little bit slower,” Devendorf chuckled, “but I still like to attack the bucket and make those shots.”

Devendorf just concluded his season with the Super City Rangers in the New Zealand National Basketball League.

Boeheim's Army

As for The Basketball Tournament, Devendorf says the team will have a better ball-handling this year and an offense that is going to be able to take shots. Brandon Triche joins Devendorf and Purdue alum Willie Deane as backcourt players this year. That's not all.

“Our front-court height is definitely an advantage,” Devendorf said. “I think we definitely have one of the bigger teams.”

Devendorf is referring to the addition of Darryl Watkins, the 7-foot-tall center who blocked 112 shots his senior year at Syracuse. Baye Moussa Keita and Terrence Roberts also are on hand,

"Bigger and better" is how General Manager Kevin Belbey describes this year's team as well, which is due to some key acquisitions such as Watkins and Triche. And C.J. Fair and Hakim Warrick are expected to join Boeheim’s Army in the pursuit of the $2 million prize awaiting the team that finishes the tournament a perfect 5-0.

Starting off as the No. 2 seed in the Northeast Regional, Boeheim’s Army’s first game is scheduled to tip off at 7:30 p.m. at the Gallagher Center at Philadelphia University in Philadelphia, Pa. on Saturday.