MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Syracuse locker room was a somber place Friday night, and with good reason. The Orange had just lost to Oklahoma in the Sweet 16, ending its season and squashing its dreams of advancing to the Final Four. After streaking all the way to the Big East tournament finals and through two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, the ride was finally over.

But amid the sadness, frustration and disappointment, there was a silver lining. Syracuse finished 2008-09 with a 28-10 record and re-established its place in the national consciousness. Even though they had just suffered a crushing defeat, the players saw hope in this season.

‘It was a success because we weren’t supposed to make it this far in the eyes of a lot of people,’ freshman Kris Joseph said. ‘Our motto from the start of the year was ‘let’s show these people wrong who doubted us, everyone who doubted us, everyone who didn’t believe.”

‘We showed them wrong, and I think we proved our point this year, and next year there are only greater things to come.’

The Orange is losing just one scholarship player to graduation next season: power forward Kristof Ongenaet, who finished this year as the team’s fourth-leading rebounder. As of right now, everyone else is coming back, including Syracuse’s top seven performers.

There has been speculation about the futures of shooting guard Eric Devendorf, forward Paul Harris and point guard Jonny Flynn, and whether or not each will declare for the NBA draft. After the game Friday night, Devendorf said unequivocally he is returning for his senior season. Harris said he was unsure and is going to consider his options, but he is not currently considered a major prospect by any draft services.

The big question is Flynn, who has seen his draft stock rise after winning Big East tournament MVP and leading Syracuse to the Sweet 16. Some services project him as a first-round pick, which comes with a significant amount of guaranteed money. Though he had previously maintained he was planning to return, Flynn was less committal after the game Friday and would not give a clear indication of his plans.

Regardless of Flynn’s decision, it appears Syracuse will start next season with talent, and Joseph is not the only one confident about the future.

‘These last two years we haven’t made the Tournament, and we made it to the Sweet 16. I think we had a good run,’ Jackson said. ‘The Big East tournament, we had a good run. This Tournament we had a good run. This was a good year for us. This was the year that put us back on the map.’

In addition to the players coming back, SU is expected to have a slew of new bodies filling the roster.

Forward Wes Johnson, who had to sit out this season after transferring from Iowa State, will become eligible. He averaged 12.4 points and four rebounds per game as a sophomore for the Cyclones in 2007-08.

Freshmen recruits Brandon Triche (from nearby Jamesville-Dewitt High School), James Southerland and DaShonte Riley will also join the squad. Also in the mix next season are guards Scoop Jardine and Mookie Jones. Jardine missed the entire season with a stress fracture. Jones had hip surgery midway through the year. Both are expected to be fully healed in time for 2009-10.

If Flynn stays, Syracuse will have one more scholarship promised than available – a situation that will need to be resolved by next season.

Before moving to next year, though, SU head coach Jim Boeheim took a moment Friday to reflect on this one. He pointed out how Syracuse fell out of the polls late in the season (Feb. 22, to be exact, after a home loss to Villanova) but salvaged its season with a strong finish.

It may not have ended with a national championship, but as far as Boeheim is concerned, this was certainly a successful season, and there is reason to be hopeful for what’s coming next.

‘You just have to let the facts speak for themselves, where we are now, what we’ve done, what these guys have accomplished,’ he said.

jediamon@syr.edu

Published on March 30, 2009 at 12:00 pm