City of Basketball Love

By Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue)
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OLNEY — It was a little tough to see who was cheering for who Tuesday night at Tom Gola Arena.

That was the first takeaway before Drexel and La Salle tipped off for the inaugural matchup of the new Big 5  — the Dragons' tournament debut.

The same blue and gold color scheme means if you show up to Drexel-La Salle you’ll have to find a different way to figure out where you’re supposed to sit. There was no cherry, crimson, red or white in any section to clash.

Not much distinguished either squad on the floor either. There were 26 lead changes and 12 ties before La Salle outlasted Drexel, 67-61, to open its season 1-0 and hand the Dragons a loss in their first ever Big 5 game.

“Drexel, ever since I’ve played them it’s always been a great game,” La Salle senior guard Jhamir Brickus said after an 18-point outing. “It’s never been a walk over. They always gave us a run for our money, and we always gave them a run for their money.

“It really felt the same. I just know we wanted to win.”

Drexel sophomore guard Justin Moore, right, drives on La Salle senior guard Jhamir Brickus during Tuesday's game at Tom Gola Arena. (Photo: Mark Jordan/CoBL)

Of course everything isn’t quite the same this season. 

La Salle, Villanova, Temple, St. Joe’s and Penn welcomed Drexel into their annual round robin tournament for the first time. Instead of each team playing each other, the squads are split into two three-team pods — La Salle-Drexel-Temple and Villanova-St. Joe’s-Penn — and will play two pod games before a tripleheader at the Wells Fargo Center on Dec. 2 to conclude the tournament and crown a champion.

Win two and you guarantee a spot in the marquee event of that Saturday, the first Big 5 championship game. 

Drexel and La Salle played at Tom Gola Arena last season — a 65-58 Drexel overtime win. In fact, the two local squads have faced each other in eight of the last nine years with the exception coming in 2021-22 when the game was canceled.

This time had the added stakes as well as some added fun like the “Bigger. Better. Big 5” banner the Drexel fan section rolled out before the game. La Salle’s players and other personnel sported the mantra on yellow t-shirts as well.

“It was obvious from last year (it was going to come down to the end),” said Drexel sophomore guard Justin Moore, who dropped in 15 points. “We were in a dog fight with them last year, and it’s a Big 5 game so it’s going to be tough. Everyone wants to come out here and win and get to the Wells Fargo Center and play in the championship. You know it’s going to be tough.”

La Salle’s win on Tuesday night means the Explorers need just two more for a Big 5 title. A win at one of La Salle head coach Fran Dunphy’s former Big 5 stomping grounds, Temple, on Nov. 29 would send La Salle to the championship game. That’s kind of fun.

The Explorers have five more games to play before that one though.

“Not yet,” Dunphy said of thinking about that opportunity. “We just talked about it in the locker room. It’s a really good win, but now we got Northeastern on Saturday and we gotta keep our focus. … When it comes time, it will be interesting.”

La Salle junior Daeshon Shepherd, right, shoots against Drexel on Tuesday. (Photo: Mark Jordan/CoBL)

Brickus said there wasn’t any chatter pregame about welcoming the Dragons to the rivalry with a defeat, though a La Salle fan did get a quick “Welcome to the Big 5” jeer in late as Khalil Brantley sealed the Explorers’ win at the line.

There was enough back and forth smack during the game. The guys on both sides know each other well, through experience at both the college and high school level.

Brickus noted it was his first time beating Moore, pointing to last year’s loss to Drexel and a District 1-6A quarterfinal loss to Moore’s Cheltenham team when he was a senior at Coatesville as times Moore got the best of him.

Those types of local matchups within the local rivalry have helped add to the Big 5 lore throughout its history. Drexel helps continue to check that box with players like Moore, senior wing Luke House (Archbishop Carroll) and sophomore forward Cole Hargrove (Methacton).

“There’s guys from the city on La Salle,” Moore said. “I’ve played Jhamir since I was in high school. Me and (Daeshon Shepherd) went to the same high school. It’s always good to go out there and play against them. It adds a little fuel to the fire.”

One half of Tom Gola Arena was about three quarters filled. The other was close to a 50 percent capacity. There was definitely a buzz that continued to grow as the game stayed tight late. Brickus jolted the home crowd to its feet a few times during a dominant stretch late that included scoring nine straight for his team.

The Explorers’ senior gave his seal of approval for the new tournament format. 

“I think the format of how they did it this year like the tournament wise at the Wells Fargo, I think it’s really dope,” Brickus said. “I think it will bring more people in watching and stuff like that.”

Though the Dragons are still searching for their first win a game into their Big 5 debut, they’re happy to be a part of it too.

“What better way to work all summer and all spring, knowing you’re going to open in the Big 5 on the road,” Drexel head coach Zack Spiker said. “I love what our guys and what our focus has been with this opportunity. We’re talking a couple possessions.”