City of Basketball Love

By Eric Stehle
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(Ed. Note: This article is part of our 2023-24 season coverage, which will run for the six weeks preceding the first official games of the year on Nov. 6. To access all of our high school and college preview content for this season click here.)

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The unofficial Big 5 basketball creed reads: “They say there is no trophy for winning the Big 5. They must not be from Philadelphia.”

In addition to bragging rights, success in the Big 5 has an impact on all of the Division I college basketball programs in the Greater Philadelphia area for a number of reasons. First and foremost among them might be that it helps when recruiting local high school prospects, inspiring them to continue their basketball careers at a Philadelphia college. In addition, it gives programs that win in the Big 5 a more compelling argument when competing for recruits against other Big 5 teams.

But let’s not undervalue the importance of bragging rights.

Starting with the 2023-24 season, there is a new official member of the Big 5. For the first time, Drexel University will compete this year as an official Big 5 program.

Organizers have discussed adding Drexel University periodically throughout the years, especially during the 2006-07 season, when the Dragons beat three of the four Big 5 teams it played that year. Talks finally culminated in adding Drexel this season as well as modifying the format to include a new ‘pod’ configuration and a triple-header championship event scheduled for December 2 at the Wells Fargo Center.

Drexel head coach Zach Spiker could not be more excited. 

“The fact that this team has the opportunity to usher in the first games in the history of the Big 5 for Drexel officially is awesome,” he said.

And Spiker has good reason for his enthusiasm. This year’s Dragons lost only one contributing player from last year’s 17-win team in Coletrane Washington, a 6-foot-4 shooter who averaged 9.2 ppg in his final season. And they picked up grad transfer Lucas Monroe from University of Pennsylvania, a 6-6 do-it-all player who led Penn in rebounds (6.0 rpg) and was third on the team in assists (2.1 apg) last year.

“Lucas Monroe is a veteran college basketball player with no ego,” Spiker said. “He just wants to help win and that’s rare in this day and age. He’s a tough, physical player. And he can be an additional playmaker at the forward position who can handle the basketball.”

In addition to Monroe, the Dragons add a single first-year player in Horace Simmons Jr., a 6-6 shooting forward from La Salle College High School.

These two new players join a Drexel team filled with talent and veteran experience, led by the two-time defending Coastal Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year Amari Williams. The 6-10 big is expected to have a huge impact this year after putting up 13.7 ppg, 8.8 rpg and 2.2 apg last season as well as ranking 14th in the nation with 2.23 blocks per game.

Rounding out the likely starting five includes sophomore Justin Moore, a 6-3 point guard who averaged 9.6 ppg and 3.1 apg last year; senior Lamar Oden Jr., a 6-6 wing (8.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg); 5th year player Luke House, a 6-4 shooting wing (8.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg) and probably Lucas Monroe.

But the Dragons have plenty of depth, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see different players step up at different times throughout the season. Key returning players include Yame Butler (8.6 ppg), Jamie Bergens (6.0 ppg), Mate Okros (4.9 ppg) and Garfield Turner (3.4 ppg).

Given the strength of Drexel’s talent and experience, it would seem that this inaugural season in the Big 5 could be the start of a successful journey. Since taking over the program in 2016-17, Spiker’s teams have increased their win totals each year while also drastically improving their defensive efficiency.

When asked about their off-season progress in preparation for this year, Spiker said, “It’s been a veteran approach. The guys understand what we’re trying to get done.” He acknowledges that Drexel’s official participation in the Big 5 is long overdue, but they are looking forward to the opportunity. “I think it’s exciting,” he said. “Our team is special. Our team is connected.”

Drexel men’s basketball faces their Big 5 “pod” opponents on November 7 (La Salle) and November 14 (Temple) to determine seeding for the triple-header tournament on December 2 at the Wells Fargo Center. Win both, and they’ll likely face either Villanova or St. Joe’s in the inaugural championship game.

This year’s Drexel team will have the opportunity to not only compete, but given the strength of the team, there is an excellent chance that this season could see Drexel contending for the Big 5 championship in their very first year of official play. And the players are ready for the challenge.

“We realize how big of an opportunity it is,” said House, a fifth-year senior from Archbishop Carroll. “We have local guys who know what the Big 5 is, but we also have guys who have been around and have played La Salle, Temple and St. Joe’s, so they know how much it means to Philadelphia.”

Williams agreed.

“My first year was a COVID year so I didn’t see how the crowds are,” the British big man said, “but it stuck with me last year when we played Penn and the turnout for that game, it amplified how big the Big 5 is and how big college basketball is in Philly.”