Philly could be center of attention in March

Penn will face a battle to retain its Ivy League championship this season, but the Quakers will also have to grapple with strong competition from Philadelphia's Big 5, which, besides Penn, includes Temple, Villanova, La Salle and Saint Joseph's.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Big 5, which holds a special significance to the league's coaches.

"It's a great tradition; no one else has it in the country," Drexel coach Bruiser Flint said. Flint played in the Big 5 at St. Joseph's and currently coaches the Dragons -- the sixth Division I team in Philadelphia.

"No one else covers college basketball like Philadelphia, and that makes it really special."

Even though its star forward, Curtis Sumpter, will likely miss the season because of a knee injury, Villanova must be viewed as the strongest team of the group. The Associated Press ranked the Wildcats No. 5 in the nation in its preseason poll.

"Obviously, the Villanova guys are getting the most hype," Penn coach Fran Dunphy admitted. "I think that'll be a great basketball team. The hype is out there for them, but they'll respond to it, and respond to it well."

The Wildcats were knocked out of last year's NCAA Tournament in the Sweet Sixteen by eventual champion North Carolina. Sumpter's injury means that this year's Villanova team will be led by seniors Allan Ray and Randy Foye.

St. Joe's is two years removed from a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but returns three starters from last year's 21-6 team.

"The offense will go through [senior] Dwayne Lee," Hawks coach Phil Martelli said. Martelli also has ambitious hopes for senior guard Chet Stachitas.

"Before [Stachitas] got hurt last year, he was shooting at a higher rate than [last year's Atlantic-10 Co-Player of the Year] Pat Carroll. We anticipate that Chet will have a very, very big year."

In the Atlantic-10 preseason poll, La Salle was picked to finish 10th, and coach John Giannini was not surprised.

Even though the Explorers, whom Dunphy calls "much improved," have gone 12 years without a winning season, Giannini is aiming for one this year.

"I think [La Salle guard] Jermaine Thomas is the most underrated player in our conference," Giannini predicted. "Darnell Harris is also underrated. I think he should be an all-Atlantic-10 player this year."

Temple has reached the postseason in 24 consecutive seasons -- playing in either the NIT or NCAA Tournament --, and Temple coach John Chaney has said that this year's squad would be "one of [Temple's] better teams."

"Temple has gotten a lot of preseason recognition; it has a very good team coming back," Dunphy said.

Temple will be led by senior point guard Mardy Collins, whom Chaney views as vital to the team's success.

"Mardy is certainly an important cog in our wheel. He and Antywane Robinson as well -- they are both seniors, and they are both due."

In spite of the stiff competition, Penn still seems optimistic about its chances of winning the Big 5.

"Every year, no matter what the records are in nonconference and league games, I think the [Palestra] atmosphere makes the games more competitive," senior captain Eric Osmundson said.

"All of our [Big 5] games are in the Palestra this year, and that will facilitate us getting the home crowd into it. Whenever you can get your crowd into it, anything can happen. So I feel strongly about our chances of winning the Big 5."

"Overall, I think it's tremendously balanced," Dunphy said. "You have Villanova [at the top], and it trickles down from there, but it is balanced."

Penn opens Big 5 play on Dec. 3 against Temple and finishes on Jan. 28 against St. Joseph's.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.