Boeheim’s Army to play Herkimer Originals in First Round of 2025 TBT

It’s an Upstate battle to kick off the winner-take-all tournament.

Boeheim’s Army, led by some notable and familiar faces from the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball program, now know who will be its first opponent in the 2025 TBT.

Boeheim’s Army earned one of the one-seeds in this year’s tournament and will compete against the Herkimer Originals in the First Round of the winner-take-all event.

That game will take place on Saturday, July 19th. Tip-off is at 6 p.m. EST at Onondaga Community College’s SRC Arena. For anyone looking to watch the game, it will be on FS1.

The Herkimer Originals, who are currently the eighth seed in the Syracuse Regional portion of the TBT, are 0-1 all-time in its TBT history. This year’s team is led by a few players with recent international experience, including point guards Jeremiah Sparks and Luke Moyer, power forward Darry Moore and small forward Mike Henry.

The Originals are also currently a part of the American Basketball Association, playing in the East Region. They also have a bit of a unique history, according to their website:

“The name Herkimer Originals and its logo “originated” with the fact that Herkimer, NY was the origin of the game of basketball: Lambert Will was the inventor and drove the rules development; the first game (on Feb 7, 1891); the first rim and net (knitted by Lambert Will’s mother), and the first backboard in 1893; all from the Village of Herkimer and surrounding communities.”

Boeheim’s Army is looking to capture its first TBT championship since 2021 and hopes to enjoy home court advantage through the Tournament.

If The Army can get by the Originals, that will set up a Round of 32 matchup between either No. 4 D3 or No. 5 Layne’s Hope.

If you’re in the area, tickets are on sale for Boeheim’s Army’s first game, and getting a ticket actually locks you in for two First Round Games (the other one being the No. 2 Stars of Storrs versus No. 7 Brown Ballers).

Boeheim’s Army will enter the 2025 TBT with a 25-8 all-time record in the tournament. This year’s roster includes Syracuse alumni Buddy Boeheim, Jimmy Boeheim, Chris McCullough, Rakeem Christmas, Elijah Hughes and Malachi Richardson. Three more non-alum — Jacob Gilyard, Nick Perkins and Noah Starkey — round out the team.

Update:

Boeheim’s Army has added former Kansas guard and 2017 POY Frank Mason III to the roster. Mason played in last year’s TBT with the Jayhawks alums and averaged 18 points and 5.3 assists in three games.