SYRACUSE – The 2007-08 Syracuse men and women's basketball teams, with ESPN's Bill Raftery, entertained 4,834 Orange fans on Friday night in Manley Field House as part of "Early Midnight Madness," presented by Syracuse Athletics, Americu and TK99.
Raftery served as the master of ceremonies as this season's edition of the Orange was unveiled to a raucous crowd. The basketball extravanganza, also featuring TK99's Gomez and Dave, was energized by the Syracuse cheerleaders and pep band.
The electric crowd on-hand nearly blew the roof off of Manley Field House as a dunk from junior center Arinze Onuaku shattered the backboard during an intra-squad scrimmage. Junior Kristof Ongenaet, sophomore Paul Harris, and freshmen Donte Greene and Jonny Flynn showcased their high-flying ability in the dunk contest.
Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim, entering his 32nd season at the helm of the men's program, officiated the intra-squad scrimmage. Boeheim was escorted court-side with his wife, Juli, and three children, Jack, Jamie and Jimmy.
The Orange women, under the leadership of second-year head coach Quentin Hillsman, kicked off the festivities with an intra-squad scrimmage. The outside shooting of the Syracuse women was on display led by sophomore Nicole Michael and freshman Marisa Gobuty.
Hillsman began the women's portion with the grandest of entrances donning a black tuxedo and along side his wife, Shandrist, in a cream-colored Cadillac Escalade.
The SU men begin the 2007-08 season against Siena on November 12 as part of the Preseason NIT. The Orange women hit the hardwood on Saturday, November 17 against Coppin State in Chapel Hill, N.C.