BOSTON — Even the most diehard Syracuse fans probably have forgotten the drama and trauma the Orange had to overcome in that magical March NCAA tournament run of 2003.
Billy Edelin, one of Jim Boeheim’s prize recruits, served a 12-game NCAA suspension for playing with a church team the year before he enrolled at Syracuse.
When Edelin gained his eligibility, Carmelo Anthony already had stamped the 2003 squad as his own and Gerry McNamara, the Scranton sharpshooter, was entrenched at the point.
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“It took two or three games for us to adjust and get over the hump,’’ said McNamara, now an assistant coach on Boeheim’s staff. “We had to learn to trust each other.’’
McNamara suffered a gashed forehead in a clash of heads with Oklahoma State’s Victor Williams in a Sweet 16 game. The Cowboys opened a 17-point lead before Syracuse rallied for a 68-56 victory.
If Syracuse beats Ohio State tonight in TD Garden in the East Region final, the sad saga of former assistant Bernie Fine, the loss of center Fab Melo because of academic issues and the report of recreational drug use by players on previous Orange squads become more like footnotes.
“This one game can be what the season is remembered for,’’ swingman James Southerland of Queens told The Post. “This is the only thing that matters.’’
Ohio State (30-7), the No. 2 seed in the East, have no intention of allowing No. 1 seed Syracuse (34-2) to write a wonderful ending. They, too, have had to overcome to get to the Elite 8.
Ohio State coach Thad Matta recalled a December practice in which he told his squad they were the worst practice players he had ever coached.
“They can tell you —”‘ it was probably mid”‘-December — I said, ‘Fellows, right now, you’re a Round of 32 team,’ ’’ Matta said.
The Buckeyes got better on defense. Forward Deshaun Thomas found his role. The Buckeyes are three-point favorites tonight, which is fine with the Orange.
“This team, more than any other I’ve been around, has really embraced that ‘Us Against the World’ mentality,’’ McNamara said. “They had to, because for the first time we became the villains to a lot of people.’’
lenn.robbins@nypost.com
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