(Image Source: The Syracuse Post-Standard)

BY LAUREN ZIMA

Former Syracuse assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine was fired in November after being accused of sexual abuse. But now, one of those accusers is backtracking. WIVB reports.

“Floyd Van Hooser told the Syracuse Post Standard Fine never abused him when he was a teenager. Van Hooser admits he made up the whole story because he was angry at Fine for not helping him hire a lawyer when he was arrested for burglary.”

56-year-old Van Hooser is now in prison, and has a history of drug problems. The Syracuse Post Standard explains Van Hooser’s history with 66-year-old Fine.

“VanHooser’s father hung himself when he was 9 years old and his mother died suddenly on his 13th birthday. Fine, who taught at Lincoln Middle School when VanHooser was a student there, invited [Van Hooser] to live with him and supported him on and off the rest of his life.”

Van Hooser’s confession came in the form of letters published on The Post Standard’s site. He says he’s sorry, he says Fine was like a father to him -- and calls him a “good man.”

But the pair’s relationship seems complex. VanHooser is saying part of his statement to police IS true, in that he and Fine had a sexual relationship as adults for many years, and it continued through last summer. So, allegedly both a father figure and a sexual partner. And what exactly all this means for the Fine case is still foggy.

WSYR says Van Hooser’s recanting might affect evidence.

“It is unclear if Van Hooser’s claims were used to obtain a search warrant for Bernie Fine’s home. Several items were taken by investigators that day.”

HLN notes the other accusers still hold strong to their statements.

“Let’s be clear -- the two former ball boys who came out both stand by their claims of abuse, and authorities have found them to be credible.”

And KTTV’s legal analyst reports Van Hooser’s accusations had always been questionable, because his story of what Fine did wasn’t consistent with the other accusers’.

ROBIN SAX: “Does this mean that the whole case is going to unravel? With this very different story, this part of the case was always set to somewhat unravel.”

Fine has denied all allegations and has not been charged.