"’With the first pick in the 2006 USBL Draft, the NEPA [Northeast Pennsylvania] Breakers select, Gerry McNamara, a six-foot two-inch guard from Syracuse University,’" announced Bill Fleming, managing partner of NEPA Sports Group that owns the Breakers organization. A heralded player throughout his high school and collegiate career, McNamara, a Scranton native, becomes the first draft pick for the NEPA Breakers organization.

The USBL is an eight-team league. The 2006 NCAA season begins on April 21.

McNamara was the 2005-06 recipient of "The Chip Hilton Award" that is presented to a senior Division I men’s basketball player who demonstrates outstanding character, leadership, and talent. He was a nominee for all the major college basketball player of the year awards: The Naismith Trophy, The Rupp Trophy and The Wooden Award, as well as the Bob Cousy Award, presented to the nation's top point guard. McNamara started all 135 games of his four-year career and guided the Orange into the NCAA Tournament in four consecutive seasons. Syracuse won the NCAA Championship in 2003, his freshman campaign. The Orange also claimed the BIG EAST Tournament title in 2005 and 2006 and McNamara earned the Dave Gavitt Award as the tournament MVP this March.

He completed his SU tenure ranked fourth in career scoring (2,099), second in career steals (258) and third in career assists (648). McNamara earned first-team All-BIG EAST Conference honors as a junior and senior.

Devendorf started 30 of 35 games for the Orange this NCAA basketball season and participated in all 35. He averaged 12.2 points an outing, the third best mark on the team. Devendorf converted 50 three-point baskets, the third-best total for a first-year SU player.

McNamara completed his career with 135 consecutive starts, the longest active streak in the Division I ranks this season. He finished his career ranked fourth in scoring, third in assists and second in steals at Syracuse. He set school standards for career minutes played, three point baskets and three point attempts. He earned Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American recognition and was a first-team All-BIG EAST Conference selection for the second year in a row. McNamara earned the Dave Gavitt Award as the most valuable player in the 2006 BIG EAST Conference Tournament.

He was a nominee for the Bob Cousy Award, the Naismith Trophy, The Rupp Trophy, the Bayer Advantage Senior Class Award, and the Wooden Award. McNamara received the Chip Hilton Award, presented to a senior Division I men's player who demonstrates outstanding character, leadership, and talent, similar to the qualities evident in the 24-book Chip Hilton Series.

McNamara averaged a squad-best 16.0 points, 5.9 assists and 1.9 steals per game. His 85 three-point baskets and .902 free-throw percentage topped the team.

Syracuse finished the campaign 23-12 with the BIG EAST Conference Tournament title. The Orange earned its fourth straight NCAA Tournament berth.

McNamara had his share of critics during his senior season. His numbers were about the same as last season, save for a lower shooting percentage and many more assists. Still, in basketball-crazy Syracuse, if the team isn't performing up to expectations, the team leader can expect to feel some heat.

For most of the baseketball season, Syracuse was a clear disappointment in the Big East. A 39-point loss at DePaul and a home defeat against Villanova left the team with a 7-9 finish in the league, the ninth seed at the NCAA tournament, and the sense that Syracuse would get to showcase McNamara at the Carrier Dome for a few more games in the National Invitation Tournament.

Indeed, for nearly 40 minutes in the Big East tournament opener against Cincinnati, it looked as if the Orangemen would be heading home Wednesday night with a thoroughly destroyed bubble. But McNamara nailed a 3-pointer in the final seconds and played the hero again in a quarterfinal victory over UConn that cemented the team's NCAA bid.

Syracuse went on to knock off Georgetown and Pitt for an improbable defense of its conference tournament title, but emerged as a banged-up, tired team. It hoped to get a Friday tipoff in the NCAA tournament opening round, but the selection committee game them a generous No. 5 seed and a miserly Thursday game. With McNamara hobbled, the Orange couldn't muster the energy to knock off Texas A&M and bowed out in the first round for the second consecutive year.

McNamara leaves with a prominent place in the school record book -- and also leaves huge shoes to fill. The Orangemen looked for consistency from the rest of the team all season, with forwards Terrence Roberts and Demetris Nichols and guard Eric Devendorf coming through with strong seasons. However, none have ever been counted on to truly lead the basketball team.

That day is here. In 2006-07, it will be up to the rest of the upperclassmen, as well as hotshot recruit Paul Harris, to lead the team back to the NCAAs.

NEW YORK -- Gerry McNamara was a big part of Syracuse's national championship as a freshman in 2003. Four years later, the guard was the runaway MVP in the Orange's surprising Big East Tournament title run.

Syracuse repeated as conference champions by beating No. 15 Pittsburgh 65-61 on Saturday night. It was the first time in the Orange's record four victories that they didn't need late-game heroics from McNamara.

It was sophomore Josh Wright who clinched the title win, making four free throws in the final 17 seconds.

But it was still McNamara's tournament.

"Gerry had as good a four games here as anybody I've ever seen," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said. "He just wanted to win."

Syracuse became the lowest-seeded team to win the Big East Tournament -- the Orange came in at No. 9 -- and the third school to repeat, joining Georgetown in 1985 and Connecticut in 1999.

The Orange (23-11) arrived in New York this week with their chances of claiming an at-large NCAA Tournament berth as on the bubble as a team can get. They are leaving with an automatic bid and a folk hero.