City of Basketball Love

Stephen Pianovich (@SPianovich)
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After St. Joseph’s beat Temple on Dec. 13, one of the Hawks’ biggest wins of the year, there were two things Phil Martelli wanted to address before taking questions at his postgame press conference.

First of all, Martelli congratulated Temple football coach Matt Rhule for “getting Philadelphia to talk about college football” something the 61-year-old and lifelong Philadelphian had never seen before. Secondly, Martelli wanted to talk about the Big 5 and his displeasure that St. Joe’s and Temple were playing at 4 p.m. with Villanova hosting La Salle a few miles away at 5 p.m. on the same Sunday evening.

“From the outside looking in, it looks like we’re just getting these games in,” Martelli said. “I’m not pointing a finger at anybody, I’m not blaming anybody, I said it in the summer at an impromptu gathering. But the Big 5 is way too important and the outsider could say ‘Really, you play at 4 and 5?’ So we as an entity, administrators, coaches, Big 5 administrators, we’ve got to get tighter.”

In recent years Big 5 games, especially Big 5 games at the Palestra, have been deemphasized. But for one night, at least, it will feel like the past in college basketball’s most storied arena as the Big 5 celebrates its 60th anniversary. The Palestra will host a doubleheader Wednesday night with La Salle and Temple tipping off at 7 p.m., followed by St. Joe’s facing Penn.

And with the opportunities to play in the Palestra lessened over time, a chance like Wednesday is a bit more cherished by players and coaches alike.

“People in Philadelphia grew up being thrilled by double and tripleheaders, seeing the best teams and players in the country, night after night and week after week,” La Salle coach John Giannini said. “Generations have come to love this building and it means it will always be a special occasion any time you play here.”

Giannini went on to say he thinks all Big 5 games should be held at the Palestra, a sentiment shared by a lot of college basketball fans in the city. He added that Big 5 games “should be less like the other games on the schedule” and that’s something with which Martelli would agree.

Wednesday night’s late clash with the Quakers will be the 500th game in St. Joe’s history at the Palestra, and the Hawks have a 334-165 record (.669 winning percentage) entering the game. But in Martelli’s eyes, it’s not just about getting St. Joe’s fans back in the Palestra seats, it’s about getting the city there.

“There are things, deep down, that a Philadelphian wants to do,” Martelli said Monday. “A Philadelphian wants to march down Broad Street in the Mummer’s Parade, a Philadelphian wants to celebrate a championship in one of the professional sports and a Philadelphian wants to walk on the floor at the Palestra.

“And not only do I get that opportunity for 21 years, but these players get that opportunity. To promote this entity that is different than any other city’s entity is a responsibility, it’s an obligation and it’s also this memory that will never leave you.”

The night will also have an old school feel because the Big 5 will be welcoming back players from each team and all decades of the Big 5’s 60 years. Here’s a full list:

La Salle: Charlie Greenberg, Frank Corace, Jim Crawford, Lionel Simmons, Doug Overton, Yves McKongo

Penn: Ernie Beck, Stan Pawlak, Corky Calhoun, Paul Little, Ira Bowman, Ibrahim Jaaber

Saint Joseph's: Joe Spratt, Clifford Anderson, Pat McFarland, Rodney Blake, Rashid Bey, Marvin O'Connor

Temple:  Jay Norman, John Baum, Ollie Johnson, Mark Macon, Aaron McKie, Lynn Greer

Villanova: Jim Huggard, Jim McMonagle, Keith Herron, Harold Jensen, Alvin Williams, JayVaughn Pinkston

 “You’re talking about an arena that has hosted more games than any other arena – that’s a pretty strong statement,” Giannini said of the Palestra. “There have been more great games and more great players in this building than any other.”

For a few hours Wednesday night, stories will be shared by those former players and by those in the stands who remember watching them. It will feel like Big 5 basketball.

Tales of the Tape

Temple (9-7, 4-2 AAC) vs. La Salle (5-10, 1-4 Atlantic 10)

Streaks: Temple W1; La Salle L2
Leading scorers: Temple - Quenton DeCosey (15.8 ppg); La Salle - Jordan Price (21.5 ppg)
Last meeting: Temple, 58-57, Dec. 6, 2014

Penn (6-8, 0-1 Ivy) vs. St. Joe's (14-3, 4-1 Atlantic 10)

Streaks: Penn L1; St. Joe's W3
Leading scorers: Penn - Darien Nelson-Henry (12.7 ppg); St. Joe's - Isaiah Miles (17.8 ppg)
Last meeting: Penn, 56-52, Jan. 24, 2015