Todd O'Brien and Darryl Shazier thought they were going for some bonding time away from the basketball court when they joined senior captain John Griffin at the Lewisburg Subway and a video store last Sunday afternoon.

Somewhere in between the dramas and comedies, Griffin showed the freshmen where his mind is most of his non-sleeping life.

"We're in the video story and (Griffin) is down in a stance showing me stuff," O'Brien said laughing.

As if there haven't been enough warning signs, Griffin's display proved just how important O'Brien, Shazier and fellow freshman G.W. Boon are to this year's Bucknell team.

All three first-year players have contributed. All three are learning under fire. But this is no burning bush.

There is a California forest fire with Santa Ana winds.

Bucknell is without three returning lettermen (Jason Vegotsky, Rob Thomas and Darren Mastropaolo) because of injuries and play the likes of Big 5 power Villanova, two-time defending America East champion Albany, returning NCAA participant Marist, Ivy League preseason favorite Cornell and ACC notable Wake Forest all in the first 10 games.

It was certain that all three freshmen would play this season, but circumstances have led to more than a few surprises.

O'Brien was working on his shooting touch in the driveway of his family's New Holland home on a warm August day, when his cell phone rang.

The soon-to-be Bucknell freshman got the news from Griffin that fellow senior captain Mastropaolo suffered a torn ACL in his right knee and would be out indefinitely.

O'Brien's disappointment quickly turned to a deeper commitment to his backyard workout.

"That's when it hit me," the 6-foot-11 center said. "I had to step it up."

O'Brien figured he was going to play anyway. The injury to Mastropaolo, a three-year starter, only made it more necessary for O'Brien to be ready.

He has been. So have Shazier, a point guard and Boon, a shooting guard.

With Bucknell, which had four first-time starters in the opening-night lineup against Albany, struggling for consistency, another surprise was dropped on a couple of the freshmen.

Shazier and O'Brien were taking part in a shootaround on the day of the Saint Francis (Pa.) game last Saturday.

Taps on the shoulder led to edicts from head coach Pat Flannery. Both were getting their first college starts that night.

"It caught me off guard," said O'Brien, who is averaging 6.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.8 blocked shots per game this season.

Both responded with generally positive results -- for freshmen thrust into such situations.

But, there's more.

Shazier learned from Menchville High (Va.) coach Erick Mays, a pretty intense man. Shazier figured he was well groomed for the next level. Man, was he surprised.

"I thought I was prepared, but coach Flannery is real intense," the 6-foot guard admitted. "I like it. I like that you have to be held accountable."

Shazier, O'Brien and Boon are roommates inside Smith Hall and do a lot together, though Boon often gets separated because of his major -- biomedical engineering.

"He's up until 2 a.m. every night, so he goes to bed after us and is up and gone before we get up," admitted Shazier, who like O'Brien, plans to major in something business related.

Shazier and O'Brien were up until 2 a.m. Monday working on a paper for the same logic class, so they've gotten a taste of what Boon's regular schedule is like.

And, they've got the look of first-semester freshmen athletes facing their first set of college final exams.

On the court, they get more than passing grades for adjusting well to the intensity of the college game. If they have been overwhelmed, they have hidden it well. They played extended minutes in Bucknell's biggest game to date -- at Villanova.

All have had moments of brilliance.

After semester exams end, they will be expected to take the next step in their progression on the court. They will need to with the uncertainty of the three injured upperclassmen.

"The pickup games before the season starts are pretty intense and the practices, we don't call fouls, so they are pretty hard," Shazier said.

"Once you get to the games, they're easier," O'Brien added. "But we've heard the Patriot League games are another level. The athletes may be of lesser value than we've played so far, but the intensity and desire go way up."O'Brien knows his desire to rebound and block shots must increase in order to help the Bison (3-4), who have been outrebounded by an average of 5.7 per game through the first seven games.

"I set a lot of goals for myself," he said. "Rebounding is something I can always do. The first couple of games, I didn't really go after them. I just did it casually. I've got to take it on myself to go after them. That's how I can help the team."

Shazier came to college as a respectable shooter, but has struggled so far (30.3 percent). The point guard knows that will come. He's more focused on his primary duties of orchestrating Bucknell's precise offensive sets.

"I try to not put too much pressure on myself," Shazier said. "I've got to just let the game come to me."

Bucknell was the first school to come to him about playing college basketball. He stayed loyal and never considered another place.

O'Brien had a tough decision: city basketball (La Salle or St. John's) or more rural hoops (Bucknell).

"I didn't think I wanted to be in New York City (or Philadelphia)," O'Brien said. "I like being a couple hours from home, so my family can come to see me."

Bucknell fans have seen plenty of Bucknell's freshmen so far this season. That doesn't figure to change, even if all three veterans get healthy.

They've earned the playing time and the respect of their peers, enough so to get their basketball junkie of a captain to break down plays in a video story.