By Mike Schultes & Michael Kelley

Don’t expect a lot of playing time this year.

This is what freshmen typically hear from their coaches and teammates beginning their freshmen year of college. However, the freshmen on the Lafayette Men’s Basketball Team are not in the typical freshmen role.

The 2011-2012 Leopard squad features four freshmen that have provided immediate contributions to a team that has played in the Patriot League Championship game the last two seasons.

Seth Hinrichs ‘15, Dan Trist ‘15, Joey Ptasinski ‘15 and Alan Flannigan ‘15 have all received significant playing time. With key injuries to star point guard Tony Johnson ‘13 and forward Levi Giese ‘13, their roles have only increased. Hinrichs, Trist and Ptasinski have all been in the starting lineup at some point.

Sometimes, the adjustment process can be difficult for freshmen, going from controlling the game to now having the game take over them. Hinrichs and Ptasinski said the adjustment has been smooth.

“The adjustment process has been relatively smooth,” Hinrichs said. “The college game is much quicker and more intense than high school, so, at first, it was a little difficult to get adjusted.”

Hinrichs is currently the highest scoring freshman, averaging 7.3 points. Ptasinski averages 6.3 and has connected on 12 3-pointers.

For Trist, the transition hasn’t been as smooth. The 6’9″ forward has a team-high 26 turnovers, shooting only 37 percent. However, there have been signs of promise for the freshman from Australia. In the victory over Penn State on Wednesday night, Trist connected on all three field goal attempts and also blocked two shots.

Flannigan, who has seen the least playing time of the freshmen, had significant minutes in the loss to Long Island and played effectively. Against Penn State, he contributed despite playing only seven minutes.

The four freshmen have gelled on and off the court.

“Our dynamic as a class helps us on the court,” Ptasinski said. “We spend a lot of time together, and I feel like our relationship off the court translates to our ability to play well together on the court.”

“All the time spent off the court has translated to our chemistry on the court,” Hinrichs added.

While the freshmen admit the transition to college has not been easy, they credit the senior class and coaching staff for helping them out along the way. “It definitely helped to have the experienced senior leaders and upperclassmen to guide us along the way and prepare us so we knew what to expect,” Hinrichs said. “The coaches have also done a great job working us and being patient even though we all tend to mess up now and again.”

Ptasinski even classified the upperclassmen as “extra coaches.”

This leadership has been crucial for the Leopards to succeed. With four freshmen consistently on the floor, the plays are sometimes altered. “There are times I may water the play down a little bit, so they won’t have to do as much,” Head Coach Fran O’Hanlon said in a radio broadcast.

After several close losses so far this season, including three by a total of 12 points, the Leopards are hopeful that as their freshmen gain more experience, these games will start going the other way.

“I have begun to realize the importance of every play,” Ptasinski said. “Because our games are usually so close, even the slightest lapse can determine the outcome of the game.”