Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim promised to make a statement about Billy Edelin’s absence from the basketball team yesterday, and he did. Sort of.

In an afternoon interview on Brent Axe’s radio show ‘On the Block’ on 620 AM, Boeheim addressed the ongoing Edelin saga without really saying much at all.

‘Billy’s having personal issues that really have nothing to do with basketball,’ Boeheim said of his point guard. ‘It’s more an overall issue of what he wants to do, what he can do. There’s really no problems. No personal girlfriend problems at this point.

‘If a player leaves a team because he’s unhappy with playing time or his role on the team, you deal with it in a simple manner. But when a player is like a member of your family and has personal issues and is trying to figure things out, our issue is to help him.

‘We just want what’s best for Billy, not come up with some punishment for a kid who’s just troubled right now. Until we can try to figure out what’s best for Billy, what he can handle, that’s what it’s gonna be. We’re gonna leave it open and try and work it out.’

Boeheim didn’t say if or when Edelin would return. He said Tuesday that an official statement updating the Edelin situation would be released yesterday. Instead, Boeheim referred back to his initial statement, released Jan. 31 before SU’s game with Virginia Tech, which stated, ‘Edelin will not play in tonight’s game because of personal issues not related to basketball or academics. There are no school or NCAA violations, but he will not play for an indefinite period of time.’

Channel 10 reported that police went to Edelin’s South Campus apartment at 7:30 yesterday morning after someone who described himself as a ‘close friend’ knocked on Edelin’s door to no answer and alerted police out of concern. When police arrived, though, Edelin was present and OK.

An ESPN.com report stated that Edelin must attend practice by Thursday to travel Saturday to Miami.

Besides Boeheim, others surrounding Edelin remained mum on the situation.

At his home in Silver Spring, Md., William Edelin, Billy’s father, said Edelin was still in Syracuse.

‘That’s all I can say,’ William said. ‘Please talk to coach Boeheim if you have any other questions.’

Other members of the Syracuse basketball community refused comment on the situation. Assistant coach Troy Weaver, who was seen entering Edelin’s apartment yesterday afternoon, deflected comment to Boeheim, too.

‘I can’t talk about that,’ Weaver said.

Edelin’s roommate, center Jeremy McNeil, refused to confirm or deny any information on Edelin’s situation.

‘They told us not to say anything about that,’ McNeil said.

Edelin, a sophomore, has not played in three of SU’s last four games. After sitting against Virginia Tech and Connecticut, Edelin played 23 minutes in SU’s 74-61 loss to Providence on Saturday.

Tuesday, though, Edelin wasn’t with the team. Coaches, players and family members learned that Edelin would miss the Rutgers game right before tip-off.

This marks the third time in three years Edelin has missed games. He missed what would have been his freshman year after two female students accused him of sexual misconduct and SU dismissed him from school. Last year, Edelin missed SU’s first 12 games after playing in a non-sanctioned, 4-on-4 men’s recreational league.

Edelin is averaging 13.8 points and 4.2 rebounds in 17 games this season.

Published on February 11, 2004 at 12:00 pm