Syracuse Basketball: Can Team Stay Focused on the Court Amid Bernie Fine Mess?

The ongoing drama involving the sex abuse investigation of Bernie Fine has put Jim Boeheim and the Syracuse basketball program under intense scrutiny.

Ever since the allegations against Fine became public, the team has been in the national spotlight and Boeheim has been a figure of controversy. Fans and media alike have called for him to be suspended or even fired after his initial comments about the accusers.

The scandal is an issue that Boeheim and the University have to work through and it's a disturbing set of circumstances, but the basketball season will move forward one way or another. 

Will the Orange be able to keep the Bernie Fine mess from adversely affecting their season? Can they deal with this unprecedented situation and stay focused on the court? Here are a few factors to consider.

Troubling Situation

For starters, it's clear that this situation is weighing heavily on Jim Boeheim. His angry reaction to the accusations, followed eventually by his sincere apology, shows just how much of an emotional roller-coaster he's been on.

During his apology last week, he admitted that this has been a hard time for him. He's had to digest the grave allegations against his 36-year assistant and deal with people calling for his termination.

Boeheim said that he's able to focus for his players during practice and the games, but indicated that off the court it's a different story.

It remains to be seen whether this saga will affect his weekly preparation for games, but I think Boeheim will use this situation as motivation to have one of the best coaching performances of his career.

Strong Support on the Staff

Even though he lost Bernie Fine, Jim Boeheim still has a solid group of remaining coaches around him, most notably Mike Hopkins and Gerry McNamara.

Hopkins has been an integral part of the coaching staff since 1996 and was a player at Syracuse before that. He was named Boeheim's successor back in 2007 and knows the Orange program as well as anyone. Hopkins will do well in his expanded coaching role this season and he will help Boeheim ensure that the scandal doesn't affect the players.

McNamara will also excel in his new role and he will be especially instrumental in helping the players focus because he was a player himself so recently. Boeheim has had his back before, so you can bet McNamara will do everything he can to support the Boeheim and the team.

Veteran Leaders

Syracuse is also fortunate to have a solid core of leaders who have played together for three years, something many teams' stars can't claim.

Kris Joseph, Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche are the veterans and the clear leaders of the team. They have all been key Orange players for three years and they know what it takes to navigate through the Big East Conference schedule. 

Scoop has been a part of the program for five years and Joseph and Triche are in their third year as starters. The rest of the team will take its cue from the calm, steady demeanor that these three exude.

Top-Tier Talent

Syracuse has already flexed its muscles this season and the wins they've recently earned after Bernie Fine's firing will go a long way to help the confidence of this talented bunch.

After Fine was dismissed, Boeheim's boys obliterated Eastern Michigan, stopped a solid Florida club and held off Marshall. They showed that they are too deep and too strong on defense to let the off-court circus damage their on-court hopes.

The Orange have a great mix of standout veterans along with youngsters such as Fab Melo and Dion Waiters. Those stars are supported by dynamic role players like James Southerland and C.J. Fair.

As long as they stay diligent and continue to play high-energy defense, they'll contend for a Big East title and a Final Four appearance.

Too Much to Gain

There's just too much for this squad to gain for them to let the scandal affect how they play down the stretch.

Jim Boeheim and his coaching staff realize that this is one of the best teams they've ever fielded. They want this team to achieve as much as they can.

This is a top-10 caliber group with NCAA Championship aspirations. Even though the off-the-court situation is sticky, the city of Syracuse is behind this team and the program is more motivated than ever to succeed.

The team will stay focused and take care of business in the Big East.