It was time for a change. After spending his whole life in the small-town atmosphere of Bay City, Mich., 2005 Syracuse basketball recruit Eric Devendorf had outgrown the town of 40,000.

So he made a change.

Devendorf is leaving the familiar surroundings of Central High School, where he grew up, for his senior season at Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va. Far away from the distractions and naysayers, Devendorf will focus on two things – academics and basketball. ‘That’s what he needs,’ Eric’s mother Cindy Devendorf said. ‘It’s going to be real different for him.’ Oak Hill, a shining star on a hill in rural Virginia, may be far away from, well, everything, but it has reputation as a basketball powerhouse. And it has tradition. Just ask SU head coach Jim Boeheim – Oak Hill has turned out SU’s Carmelo Anthony, Billy Edelin and Dayshawn Wright. ‘He’s got mixed feelings,’ Cindy Devendorf said. ‘Right now he’s a little apprehensive.’ ‘Maybe he’s a little nervous,’ said Will Smith, Devendorf’s AAU coach. Smith, Devendorf and his parents made the trek to Oak Hill, near the North Carolina border, this past weekend and classes begin today. Right now, Devendorf is just focusing on his senior season, though. ‘I’m definitely happy (to get the weight off my back),’ Devendorf said. ‘I’m glad to get all the recruiting out of the way.’ ‘That was a big decision and burden on him,’ Smith said. ‘Especially with all the other things going on.’ By other things, Smith means the controversy surrounding Devendorf’s choice of schools. He verbally committed to Michigan State before his junior year then changed his mind in early 2004. The decision created an ugly situation with the Spartan faithful who were disappointed with Devendorf, though he still said MSU was one of his top three choices. Devendorf took a lot of heat on Internet message boards. As well as spurning the Spartans, Devendorf was suspended for three games after playing in a church-affiliated charity tournament. In Devendorf’s online diary at slamonline.com, he wrote: ‘It was kind of a tough decision, and it’s going to be hard leaving here because my best friend goes to Central and all my family and everybody’s up here, but I gotta do what’s best for me.’

In the end, Devendorf, a 6-foot-3 combo guard, said SU’s style of play and head coach Jim Boeheim swayed him to commit to SU. In a June visit to the SU campus, Devendorf got a chance to see the athletic facilities and play in a pickup game with senior Hakim Warrick and sophomore Louie McCroskey.

‘He’s real good,’ Warrick said. ‘He’s a laid-back guy and he’s easy to get along with. I was surprised by how athletic and strong he is. And he’s a good ball-handler, too.’

Before SU, Devendorf has other obstacles in sight.

‘I need to work on my quickness and defense,’ Devendorf said.

As for a national championship at Oak Hill, Smith said the outlook is promising.

‘You’ve got to always put them up there,’ Smith said. ‘This will be a big year.’

Straight to the Pros?Many prognosticators considered Syracuse lucky to snag Carmelo Anthony for a year. Now, SU is hoping to get lucky again with a recruit that could help bring it another national championship. In addition to Devendorf and Utica’s Tiki Mayben, who have already committed to SU, the Orange is pursuing a Syracuse native – Andray Blatche, formerly of Heninger High School. Only problem is, Blatche has hinted he wants to pursue millions of dollars in the NBA. ‘His desire would be to (go to the NBA),’ said Dave Paulus, Blatche’s AAU coach. ‘As he continues to develop, he would like to have that opportunity.’ Blatche, a 6-foot-11 power forward, will play his senior season at South Kent Prep School in Connecticut. On Rivals.com, an online recruiting service, he is listed as the No. 7 prospect in the class of 2005. Syracuse is listed as the front-runner for his college choice along with Connecticut, West Virginia and Georgetown. All have offered scholarships. ‘He thinks a lot of the SU coaching staff,’ Paulus said. ‘He’s got a lot going for him.’

Dream Team No MoreAt the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, everyone feared one group of extraordinary gentlemen. Jordan. Bird. Barkley. Magic. The list of NBA superstars is instantly recognized as the indestructible Dream Team. From that same idea came hope in 2004. But in the end came disappointment. This year, the United States was forced to send its B-team, still a formidable group, but it could not conquer the fundamentally sound players from the rest of the world. Among that group was Syracuse’s Carmelo Anthony. He saw little time on a team crowded with more big names than talent. ‘(Team USA) doesn’t shoot well,’ SU head coach Jim Boeheim said. ‘Our game is more of a one-on-one.’ Hakim Warrick, who played with Anthony at SU, said Anthony could’ve made a difference. ‘Carmelo would’ve helped,’ Warrick said. ‘I know it had to be tough for him. It’s the first time playing off the bench in four or five years.’ After losing to Puerto Rico, Lithuania and Argentina, the Americans regained some respect by winning the bronze medal. Still, it’s a far cry from the domination of 1992.

Published on August 31, 2004 at 12:00 pm