
McNamara's Band: Looking to bring Gerry home
by Joe Pietaro
April 5, 2006 - United States Basketball League (USBL)
Northeast Pennsylvania Breakers
Scranton, PA-From orange to old gold. No, it is not a government warning. But it does have special meaning to the people of Pennsylvania. The most highly anticipated draft pick in the 21-year history of the United States Basketball League is not shrouded in mystery. "With the first pick in the 2006 USBL Draft, the North East Pennsylvania Breakers choose...Gerry McNamara, guard, Syracuse University." These words will be heard on April 11th when the draft takes place. That is the easy part. Then they have to convince McNamara to sign.
Talk about a perfect fit. The four-year starter is not only a local guy, but an icon. A Bishop Hannan graduate, McNamara had approximately 2,000 fans travel by bus regularly to see him play at Syracuse. And his parents, Joyce and Gerry (better known as "Chiz") traveled to see him play at every college game, home and away. He had such a steady following that the media dubbed his fans "McNamara's Band."
McNamara led his high school team to a state championship in his senior season and is Pennsylvania's seventh all-time leading scorer with 2,917 points. Recruited by Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim, the freshman helped the school win its first National Championship in 2003. He was named to the All-Tournament team along with fellow freshman Carmelo Anthony.
In 2004, the Orange (formerly "Orangemen") advanced to the Sweet 16. Syracuse won the Big East post-season tournament in 2005, but did not advance past the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
This past season, McNamara led the Orange to their second consecutive Big East Tournament title in dramatic fashion. Playing on the same Madison Square Garden court that an injured Willis Reed hobbled on to help the Knicks capture the 1969-70 NBA Championship, McNamara shook off a leg injury to carve his legend further. He hit a three-point shot with less than a second remaining to beat the University of Cincinnati. A day later, another three-pointer by McNamara in the closing seconds tied the game against UConn, which Syracuse eventually won in overtime. In the semi-finals, Syracuse mounted a come back against Georgetown in the last minute of the game. McNamara hit a three-point shot to cut it to one and then had the assist for the game winning basket. He also forced a turnover to seal the victory. Syracuse defeated the University of Pittsburgh in the Big East final and McNamara was voted the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award. His leg injury proved to be a major hindrance in the NCAA Tournament, where the Orange was defeated in the first round.
The North East Pennsylvania Breakers are an expansion team in the USBL after competing in the ABA in the 2005-06 season. They had a 6-2 record over the first two months but decided to leave the league due to instability in the ABA. William Fleming, Managing Partner of the NEPA Sports Group, has stated that the team is planning on drafting McNamara with the first pick and has made no contention to hide that fact. "We are going to build the team around Gerry and pair him in the backcourt with a â2' guard that will bring out the best in his game," Fleming said. "We will put players on the court that will set picks for him to give him the open looks for his three-point shot."
With the USBL being the only professional basketball league that schedules its games in the spring and early summer, a player such as McNamara can showcase his talents to help his NBA draft status. "The League of Opportunity" has a 30-game schedule that is completed before the NBA Draft takes place and is an enormous stage for âfringe' players. Most mock NBA Drafts have McNamara as a second round pick at best. For him to compete in a league that has the exact same rules as the NBA will attract scouts and can enhance his potential to get drafted higher.
Home town discount? Hardly. This is a win-win-win situation for McNamara, the Breakers and the USBL. Hypothetically speaking, if McNamara has a strong season playing where he is comfortable, the media will take notice and so will the scouts. It may be the difference of him being drafted or invited to an NBA camp as a free agent. And he can possibly make the end of the first round of the draft with a showing such as he had in the Big East tournament.
The buzz around town that even the possibility of McNamara playing here has been heard. The opener has been dubbed "Homecoming Night," and tickets for the April 22nd game at the Lackawanna College Fitness Center versus the Allentown Valley Dawgs are already 63 percent sold.
The fans are anticipating the excitement of seeing McNamara playing in a yellow #3 jersey that is waiting for him. At the press conference in February announcing the NEPA Breakers were joining the USBL, that exact jersey was on display. Wishful thinking? Whatever it was, McNamara is a player that will not only excel in the USBL, but also leave a lasting memory for the hometown fans to keep with them.
McNamara's high school and college careers have spoken for themselves. Now is the time to start on his pro career. G-Mac can become the Dr. J of the USBL. He will be the face of the league and attract fans at every home and road game. There isn't a better dress rehearsal for the NBA.
United States Basketball League Stories from April 5, 2006
- Cranes add scorer in Smith - Nebraska Cranes
- Crawford, Storm look to build on last season - Oklahoma Storm
- McNamara's Band: Looking to bring Gerry home - OSC Original by Joe Pietaro
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
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