Billy Edelin is back. After an 11-month layoff, the junior point guard graced the Carrier Dome floor on Wednesday in a 91-67 win over St. Bonaventure. It was a moment everyone had been waiting for and, until recently, it seemed like it may never happen.

Obviously, Edelin’s return will give the Orange an immediate boost. Though No. 3 Syracuse has cruised, it can’t help but benefit from Edelin’s presence and experience.Edelin and the Orange will face Colgate on Saturday night at 7 at the Carrier Dome. It will be the last warmup before the Orange faces the toughest opponent on its non-conference schedule, No. 6 Oklahoma State.

‘(Edelin) had some practices, but he’s really been away a long time,’ SU head coach Jim Boeheim said. ‘It takes a while to get your timing back in basketball, but he understands the game and he just needs a few games to get himself back.’

Edelin’s numbers against the Bonnies – four points and three assists in 15 minutes – aren’t close to what he did last year, but with time he will provide the already deep Orange with another weapon.

At one point Wednesday night, Edelin took the court with Hakim Warrick, Craig Forth, Josh Pace and Gerry McNamara. All five were on the 2003 national championship team, and they were the starting five at the beginning of last season.

For Warrick, it was a special moment.

‘I just looked around and it was funny seeing us all out there again back from the national championship team,’ Warrick said. ‘We had some great experience out there. Now, we just need to bring the younger guys around.’

That’s exactly what Boeheim is trying to do in these early non-conference games. With Edelin back, he can throw any of SU’s 11 scholarship players on the floor at any given time. There’s a smaller, quicker lineup for running teams like St. Bonaventure and a longer, 2-3 zone-oriented lineup for conference opponents.

‘Our younger guys are not taking the game the way they need to,’ Boeheim said. ‘For us to be any good, our young guys have got to show they can come out and be productive.’

When Edelin gets back into playing shape, SU’s depth will be a very frightening prospect regardless of whether or not he retains his starting point guard position. In the meantime, he can be a good role model for freshman point guard Josh Wright. Inconsistency has plagued the young star early in the season.

‘We need to continue to get these young guys as much exposure in game situations as we can,’ Boeheim said. ‘They’re all working very hard in practice. We’ve got to get them more comfortable in game situations. We’ve got to utilize these games to be a more balanced team in terms of our depth.’

While SU polished off its sixth win Wednesday night, No. 1 Wake Forest was trampled by No. 4 Illinois, 91-73. The loss could boost Syracuse yet another spot in the rankings.

‘We want that No. 1 ranking at the end of the season,’ McNamara said. ‘Now, it doesn’t mean anything.’

Published on December 2, 2004 at 12:00 pm