PHILADELPHIA – Before Boeheim’s Army took the court on Saturday night, they huddled in a corner of the Gallagher Athletic Center gym waiting for the game preceding theirs to end. In the practice gym, players had shown off their sleek new jerseys, but no one put on what every player was now wearing, the same orange “Pearl” warmups that Syracuse donned during the latter portion of this past season.

They jogged onto the court to a thunderous ovation from the decidedly pro-Syracuse crowd before shedding the warmups to reveal jerseys that also paid tribute to Washington, the late Syracuse great, with a white “31” inside a black circle right below the back of each player’s neck.

“I’ve known Pearl, I’m older than all these guys, so when I was at school, he was always around,” Boeheim’s Army head coach Ryan Blackwell said. “I actually took a class with him. Just a humble guy. Like everyone says, he’s humble. you would never had known what he accomplished in his career, what he’s done in his life, just because of the type of person he was.”

Washington died on April 20 after succumbing to a brain tumor and since then, it has become evident the effect he had on multiple generations of Syracuse basketball. Jim Boeheim started crying talking about Washington the day he died. Last season’s team sported the honorary warmups during the NCAA Tournament, some players even going against the NCAA and not wearing the mandated white warmup tops.

On Saturday, eras of Orange basketball slightly closer to Washington’s paid tribute to the player who influenced the lives of many not only with his pizzazz on the court but his humility off it.

“For me, I’ve known Pearl for a while, since I’ve got involved with Syracuse,” Eric Devendorf said. “It was tough losing him, but we know he was here with us today in spirit and we’re just thankful that we’re able to do that little small gesture for him.”

Syracuse head equipment manager Dan Schworles, along with the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation, helped bring the “Pearl” T-shirts to Philadelphia. Fans in the stands wore them, too.

Washington watched Boeheim’s Army in person in The Basketball Tournament last year and it’s hard to believe he wouldn’t have been pleased with their opening effort this year as well.

Said Devendorf: “Pearl was supportive of Boeheim’s Army.”

Published on July 17, 2016 at 10:50 am

Contact Matt: mcschnei@syr.edu | @matt_schneidman