When Jim Boeheim became an assistant coach at Syracuse, freshmen weren’t even allowed on the team.

Until 1972, an NCAA regulation prohibited first-year students from playing varsity football or basketball in an attempt to raise academic standards and encourage graduation. Hoops legends Lew Alcindor, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Walton all played on their respective universities’ freshman team before moving up to the big club.

Now, 31 seasons at the helm and a national championship later, Boeheim isn’t just playing freshmen, but relying on them. Just look back a few years, when freshman Carmelo Anthony won the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award while leading the 2002-03 Orangemen to their lone title. ‘Melo’s partner in crime? Gerry McNamara, another frosh.

Anthony was arguably the first freshman to carry a team to a national title, setting the bar for what a first-year player could potentially achieve. Since then, programs around the country have counted on top recruits to step in right away and lead their team deep into the NCAA Tournament. Still, the jury is out on whether this trend is entirely effective for teams.

This season, the Orange is taking a page out of its own history book, relying heavily on McDonald’s All-Americans Donte Greene and Jonny Flynn, and three other freshmen.

Long gone are the days when future superstars toiled away in a small, dark gym their first season. The 2003 Orangemen popularized a recent trend in college basketball, and freshmen are leading the charge.

‘These guys are more prepared and have so much more opportunity,’ Boeheim said by phone last month. ‘They’re playing all summer, just playing more basketball. Donte and Jonny played USA basketball, so they’re playing against the best players in the world.’

In 2005, the NBA stipulated no player may enter the draft until at least age 19 and one year after the graduation of his high school class, essentially forcing high school recruits to play at least one year of college basketball. With the age limit in place, guys who’d otherwise turn pro are now playing as college freshmen, and teams are already seeing the benefits.

Greg Oden led Ohio State to the national championship game last season. Kevin Durant became the first freshman to win The Associated Press’ Player of the Year award and had perhaps the best freshman season of all time.

Both Durant and Oden bolted for the NBA after last season, but they made an immediate statement about the role of top freshmen moving forward.

‘This new rule is good for our game because it’s bringing more and more freshmen into play,’ UCLA assistant coach Scott Garson said by phone. ‘Oden and Durant never would’ve been in college without it, and these young guys are the future of college basketball.’

But Oden and Durant are just two players, and despite their success, neither won a national title, keeping Anthony as the only freshman to bring his team over that hump. Since 2003, other top freshmen have tried and failed to go deep in the NCAA Tournament.

Tyler Hansbrough, who had one of the best freshman years ever in 2004 for North Carolina, couldn’t bring the Tar Heels past the second round. Scottie Reynolds, Villanova’s freshman star from a year ago, couldn’t push the Wildcats out of the opening round. Even Durant’s Longhorns faltered in round two.

As top freshmen have dazzled but lost, veterans have maintained a stranglehold on NCAA Championship rings since Syracuse’s victory, and back-to-back champion Florida is a perfect example.

In the national title game last season, the Gators started four juniors and a sophomore while two freshmen carried Ohio State. The Gators won in ’06 with a lineup of older players, too.

Despite the talent of the freshmen, the upperclassmen are seemingly still the more reliable winners.

‘Trust me, you’d rather not rely on these freshmen,’ Kansas State head coach Frank Martin said by phone. Martin has one of the nation’s top recruits – Notre Dame (Mass.) Prep’s Michael Beasley – coming to Manhattan, Kan., this season. ‘Some are able to grow up sooner than others, but you never know how they’re going to react to the new lifestyle.’

All that begs a tough question: Can freshmen lead a team to a title, or was Carmelo just a fluke? Martin sure hopes so – most of his team’s success probably rests on the shoulders of Beasley, the 2007 McDonald’s All-American game MVP.

Even a traditional powerhouse like UCLA is putting a lot of stock on one recruit. The Bruins reached consecutive Final Fours and now add Kevin Love, arguably the best freshman in the country.

‘Kevin Love is a tremendous talent, but we can’t expect him to shoulder the whole load,’ Garson said. ‘A freshman can shoulder the load because talent is always going to take over, but Florida showed you need those older guys. You need to have a team with veterans and experience to win the whole thing.’

Through two years with the NBA age limit, early returns are still mixed. Though Oden and Durant wowed college basketball fans last season, it’s too soon to tell the lasting effects. Martin said he is completely against the age limit rule’s specific stipulations, favoring instead the guidelines in football and baseball requiring athletes to play at least three seasons in college.

Villanova coach Jay Wright and Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt, speaking at the Big East and Atlantic Coast Conference’s media days, respectively, both praised the rule, calling it a good thing for the game. Boeheim still isn’t sure one way or the other.

But he may make a decision after this season. With the departure of senior starters Demetris Nichols, Darryl Watkins and Terrence Roberts, all eyes turn to the current Syracuse freshman class. Flynn and Greene have already received hype and accolades, and Orange fans are spoiled after Anthony’s success four years ago.

Like the ’03 team and Ohio State last year, freshmen will make the difference for Syracuse this year, and Boeheim isn’t too worried.

‘There’s still a learning curve that takes time, but they have to contribute without a question,’ Boeheim said. ‘We knew that when we brought them in. They will have to be ready quickly.’

Published on November 7, 2007 at 12:00 pm