Post by HoyaChris on Feb 22, 2013 19:47:54 GMT -5
I have excerpted this from my 50 Greatest Hoyas post from 7 years ago.
25. Perry McDonald (85-88) (6-4) (5, 4, 3, 2) - If a book was written about the Georgetown-Syracuse rivalry during the 1980's, the only appropriate title would be "Only the Ball was Orange." Georgetown-Syracuse was as big then as Duke-NC is today with every single game on national TV and with the Hoyas generally coming out on top. Between 1978-79 and 1988-89 the Hoyas were 20-10 verses the Orange who were generally ranked and often ranked higher than the Hoyas.
Among the highlights of the rivalry:
In 1979 Ed Spriggs and Jeff Bullis come off the bench to spell a foul plagued Hoya front line and the Hoyas upset the 6th ranked orange in an NCAA play in game.
In 1980, the Hoyas rally from a double digit second half deficit to end the nation's longest home winning streak at 57 in the last game played at Manley Field House. John Thompson declares that "Manley Field House is officially closed" endearing himself to Orange fans everywhere.
In 1981 the Hoyas lose to the Orange in the Big East semi-final, played at the new Carrier Dome, but still get an NCAA invite. Despite winning the tournament, the Orange stay home.
In 1984, 1987 and 1989 Georgetown beats Syracuse in the Big East final. The 1984 final features a quasi-brawl between Michael Graham and Syracuse's Andre Hawkins. At the press conference after the game, Jim Boeheim throws a chair.
In 1988, Charles Smith goes end to end at the buzzer to beat Syracuse at the dome and runs straight down the tunnel in celebration.
(We will avoid mention of the 1990 game in which Sam Jefferson sets the Hoya record for Foul-Stupidest when he inexplicably grabs at Billy Owens 45 feet away from the basket as time expires. Owens two free throws send the game into overtime and the Orange win.)
No year better exemplified the frustration of Syracuse fans than 1987. To be fair, Syracuse did make the national final that year, losing to Indiana when they forgot how to call time out after going down late in the game. That Syracuse team was loaded with Sherman Douglas, Rony Seikaly, and Derek Coleman. And that Syracuse team lost to Reggie and the Miracles three times. Against Syracuse no Miracle came up bigger than Perry McDonald.
Perry McDonald was listed on the Hoya roster as a 6-4 guard and came to the hilltop as the leading scorer in New Orleans high school history. In his first two seasons he struggled to find a role as a shooting guard, a role for which he was ill-fitted since he had significant difficulty hitting outside shots. In 1986-87, his junior year, he was reincarnated as a low post presence to great success. His signature move was catching the ball about 12 feet from the basket in the lane, taking one large step and launching his body towards the basket, taking contact and laying the ball in high off the glass. He was also an exceptional offensive rebounder and scored a large number of points on follows. He averaged 13.0 as a junior and made second team Big East, and then finished his career with a 10.1 ppg senior season.
Perry's most visible victim was 6-11 Syracuse center Rony Seikaly. During the "Miracles" year, McDonald had three big games against Seikaly, who was in constant foul trouble. In his best game, an 83-81 win, he scored a career high 23 points including the winning basket at the buzzer. Matched up with McDonald, Seikaly resembled nothing so much as a cartoon elephant confronted by a mouse. By the Big East tournament Seikaly was actively avoiding contact with McDonald and the Hoyas won easily in the final.
25. Perry McDonald (85-88) (6-4) (5, 4, 3, 2) - If a book was written about the Georgetown-Syracuse rivalry during the 1980's, the only appropriate title would be "Only the Ball was Orange." Georgetown-Syracuse was as big then as Duke-NC is today with every single game on national TV and with the Hoyas generally coming out on top. Between 1978-79 and 1988-89 the Hoyas were 20-10 verses the Orange who were generally ranked and often ranked higher than the Hoyas.
Among the highlights of the rivalry:
In 1979 Ed Spriggs and Jeff Bullis come off the bench to spell a foul plagued Hoya front line and the Hoyas upset the 6th ranked orange in an NCAA play in game.
In 1980, the Hoyas rally from a double digit second half deficit to end the nation's longest home winning streak at 57 in the last game played at Manley Field House. John Thompson declares that "Manley Field House is officially closed" endearing himself to Orange fans everywhere.
In 1981 the Hoyas lose to the Orange in the Big East semi-final, played at the new Carrier Dome, but still get an NCAA invite. Despite winning the tournament, the Orange stay home.
In 1984, 1987 and 1989 Georgetown beats Syracuse in the Big East final. The 1984 final features a quasi-brawl between Michael Graham and Syracuse's Andre Hawkins. At the press conference after the game, Jim Boeheim throws a chair.
In 1988, Charles Smith goes end to end at the buzzer to beat Syracuse at the dome and runs straight down the tunnel in celebration.
(We will avoid mention of the 1990 game in which Sam Jefferson sets the Hoya record for Foul-Stupidest when he inexplicably grabs at Billy Owens 45 feet away from the basket as time expires. Owens two free throws send the game into overtime and the Orange win.)
No year better exemplified the frustration of Syracuse fans than 1987. To be fair, Syracuse did make the national final that year, losing to Indiana when they forgot how to call time out after going down late in the game. That Syracuse team was loaded with Sherman Douglas, Rony Seikaly, and Derek Coleman. And that Syracuse team lost to Reggie and the Miracles three times. Against Syracuse no Miracle came up bigger than Perry McDonald.
Perry McDonald was listed on the Hoya roster as a 6-4 guard and came to the hilltop as the leading scorer in New Orleans high school history. In his first two seasons he struggled to find a role as a shooting guard, a role for which he was ill-fitted since he had significant difficulty hitting outside shots. In 1986-87, his junior year, he was reincarnated as a low post presence to great success. His signature move was catching the ball about 12 feet from the basket in the lane, taking one large step and launching his body towards the basket, taking contact and laying the ball in high off the glass. He was also an exceptional offensive rebounder and scored a large number of points on follows. He averaged 13.0 as a junior and made second team Big East, and then finished his career with a 10.1 ppg senior season.
Perry's most visible victim was 6-11 Syracuse center Rony Seikaly. During the "Miracles" year, McDonald had three big games against Seikaly, who was in constant foul trouble. In his best game, an 83-81 win, he scored a career high 23 points including the winning basket at the buzzer. Matched up with McDonald, Seikaly resembled nothing so much as a cartoon elephant confronted by a mouse. By the Big East tournament Seikaly was actively avoiding contact with McDonald and the Hoyas won easily in the final.
