It seems that with the Flyers and 76ers playing well and Spring Training getting started for the Phillies that many people have lost interest or don’t have any interest in what’s going on in local college basketball. I long for the doubleheaders and the City Series games at the Palestra. The City 6, the expanded version of the Big 5, is having one of its finest seasons in recent history. With Fran Dunphy and the Temple Owls cracking the Top 25 this week at #22 for the first time this season with a 22-5 record the Owls seems to be the cream of the crop. The Owls have won 10 games in a row and 16 of their last 18 but have tough road games at LaSalle tonight and at St. Joe on Saturday. By the way the game against the Hawks will be broadcast on ESPNU at 7pm. The Owls beat both of these teams earlier in the year. Ramone Moore and Khalif Wyatt lead the Owls with 18.2 and 17.0ppg.
Drexel coach Bruiser Flint may beg to differ on who’s the best team in the city. The Dragons are 23-5, 14-2 in the conference, are 12-0 at home and have won 15 games in a row. The Dragons also received national ranking votes that would put them at #30 in the country with 2 games remaining. Look for Drexel to be invited to “The Dance”.
The St. Joe Hawks have been all over the place this season but are still in the hunt. They’re sitting at 18-10 going in to tonight’s home game at the Hagen Arena against Richmond and Saturday’s home game against Temple. The Hawks went through a stretch where they won 7 of 8 games in late November and December and turned around and lost 5 out of 7 in early January. Coach Phil Martelli usually has the Hawks playing competitive down the stretch and hopes that the present 3 game winning streak will carry them in to the Atlantic 10 playoffs. The Hawks are led by Carl Jones at 16.4 ppg and Langston Galloway at 15.5 ppg.
The LaSalle Explorers are 18-9 going in to tonight’s game against Temple at the Tom Gola Arena. The Explorers are 7-5 in the A10 and need a strong finish in their final 4 games, 2 are home, Temple and St. Bonaventure and 2 on the road, at Fordham and at George Washington. The Explorers hold a 12-1 record at the Gola Arena this season. LaSalle is led by the balanced scoring of Ramon Galloway, 14.7ppg, Earl Pettis, 14.7ppg, Tyreek Duren, 13.7ppg and Sam Mills 11.3ppg.
The Penn Quakers, 15-11, have won 8 of their last 10 games down the stretch, including their last 3 at the Palestra. The Quakers finish up with 3 of their last 5 on the road including a trip to 1st place Harvard, 23-3, and a home game against 3rd place Yale, 17-7. The Quakers can control their own destiny by winning out in the Ivy League. Penn is led by Zach Rosen, 18.1ppg and Tyler Bernardini, 13.7ppg.
It’s unusual that when you talk about the City 6 that the last team you talk about is the Villanova Wildcats but this year has not been the Wildcats year. The ‘Cats have lost 3 in a row, 2 of them in overtime, and 6 of their last 7. They presently sit at 12-16 with remaining games at Georgetown, at Rutgers and home against Cincinnati. Villanova will find itself in a struggle come Big East Tournament time. Maalik Wayns leads the way for the Cats at 17.8ppg.
If the season plays out well for the City 6 there’s a good chance that 3 of the teams could be part of “March Madness”. Temple, Drexel and possibly Penn could be in. If there’s an upset in the A10, St. Joe or LaSalle could sneak in and Temple still be in based on overall record. It should be a lot of fun watching this play out in the next 2 weeks. Philly college hoops at its best.
phillypressbox 