Syracuse assistant accused of molestation by ex-team ball boys

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Two former Syracuse ball boys allege that associate head basketball coach Bernie Fine molested them.

Syracuse placed Fine on administrative leave Thursday evening.

Bobby Davis, now 39, and Mike Lang, now 45, told ESPN that Fine used to reach into their shorts and grope them.

Davis says the abuse began when he began working for the team in 1984, while in seventh grade. Lang, who is Davis’ stepbrother, said that Fine started molesting him when he was in fifth or sixth grade.

Police told ESPN that they are in the early stages of an investigation and that they plan to interview the alleged victims.

Syracuse Coach Jim Boeheim defended Fine in a telephone interview with the New York Times on Thursday evening.

“I’ve known Bernie Fine for 45 years, and there’s absolutely no way that I believe any of this could possibly have happened,” Boeheim said. “That’s the bottom line.”

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-- Melissa Rohlin