Big 5 Basketball back with a tripleheader bang

Big 5 Basketball is back.

No, the streamers and the weekly doubleheaders at the Palestra are still gone. But with two top 25 teams and a few others trying to get back into national prominence, Philadelphia looks to continue the storied intra-city rivalries this season that were nearly killed by Villanova's Rollie Massimino and Temple's Peter Licouras in the early '90s.

One need look no further than Dec. 8 to see the return of Philly hoops -- a tripleheader at the Palestra, the mecca of college basketball.

Drexel-La Salle. Penn-St. Joe's. And, in a nationally televised nightcap, Temple-Villanova.

With St. Joe's poised to make a Final Four run, Temple's 5:30 a.m. practices and matchup zone, Penn's textbook Ivy League offense, along with new coaches at LaSalle and Villanova, the Big 5 basketball season should be as interesting as ever.

ST. JOSEPH'S:

Last year: 26-7, 14-2 in Atlantic 10 (1st), 2-2 Big 5 (t-2nd); lost in West Region quarterfinals

Coach: Phil Martelli

Key losses: Frank Wilkins (F, 5.8 PPG)

Key returnees: Marvin O'Connor (Sr., G, 22.1 PPG), Jameer Nelson (So., G, 6.5 APG), Na'im Crenshaw (Sr., G, 11.4 PPG), Bill Phillips (Sr., F, 9.1 RPG)

Chemistry is a term that gets overused sometimes, but it can't be overstated with St. Joseph's. The Hawks are almost as old as an NBA team and return all but one player from last year's squad. Coach Phil Martelli has this team primed for a Final Four run.

The Hawks, ranked No. 10 preseason in both the Associated Press and the ESPN/USA Today preseason polls, lost last year in the second round of the NCAAs to No. 1-seeded Stanford, 90-83. Marvin O'Connor, the heart and soul of St. Joe's, scored 37 points and gained his squad a national audience, one that will likely stay with the Hawks this year.

With O'Connor and Jameer Nelson, the Hawks have arguably the best backcourt in the country. Last year, the Philly-area natives averaged a combined 37.6 points per game.

Bill Phillips, Damian Reid and top sub Alexandre Sazonov all return in the frontcourt, making the Hawks a team to look out for.

TEMPLE:

Last year: 24-13, 12-4 A-10 (2nd), 2-2 Big 5 (t-2nd); Lost in South Regional Final

Coach: John Chaney

Key Losses: Quincy Wadley (G, 15.1 PPG)

Key Returnees: Lynn Greer (Sr., G, 18.2 PPG), David Hawkins (So., G, 10.4 PPG), Kevin Lyde (Sr., C, 8.9 RPG), Alex Wesby (Sr., F, 10.1 PPG)

Temple has the same story every year. Lose big games early, disappear from the national spotlight, then appear as a No. 7, No. 10 or a No. 11 seed and make a huge showing in the Big Dance.

Last year a seemingly average Owls squad won 12 straight games and made it to the Elite Eight. Although Temple already lost its first two games, to Florida and Maryland in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, this year should be more of the same.

New Basketball Hall of Fame-inductee John Chaney's famous 5:30 a.m. practice sessions should pay off again, as the Owls, ranked No. 16 in AP and No. 17 in ESPN/USA Today preseason polls, will probably again use the feared matchup zone defense to hold opponents to lots of turnovers and poor shooting.

Kevin Lyde is the main reason the Owls should contend. The big man who averaged 12.8 points per game last season contemplated a jump to the NBA but withdrew his name late in the process.

Lynn Greer and freshman guard Nile Murray will anchor a backcourt that, by the end of the season, could rival that of St. Joe's. And, then, of course, there is reserve big, big, big man Ron Rollerson, who will spell Lyde at center and take up most of the lane.

LA SALLE:

Last Year: 12-17, 5-11 A-10 (8th), 2-2 Big 5 (t-2nd)

Coach: Billy Hahn

Key losses: Victor Thomas (F, 19.7 PPG), Garret Bragg (C, 5.3 RPG)

Key returnees: Rasual Butler (Sr., F, 22.1 PPG), Julian Blanks (Sr., G, 12.2 PPG)

Speedy Morris is out, and Billy Hahn is in. The La Salle brass let Morris live for almost a decade on his great success in the late '80s and early '90s, but it was time for a change. The former Ohio coach and Maryland assistant brings that to the beleaguered Explorers.

The overlooked Rasual Butler is the class of this team. The star from Philly's storied Roman Catholic H.S. averaged over 20 points a game last season but suffered on a horrendous La Salle squad.

There is some hope, however, with junior Reggie Osoka, a transfer from Virginia Commonwealth, and senior Julian Blanks.

The outlook for the Explorers, however, is not very good. Butler is a great player, but he has little or no help on this team.

VILLANOVA:

Last Season: 20-12, 8-8 Big East (t-3rd East), 4-0 Big 5 (1st); lost in first round of NIT

Coach: Jay Wright

Key Losses: Michael Bradley (F, 20.8 PPG), Jermaine Medley (G, 10.3 PPG)

Key Returnees: Brook Sales (Sr., F, 9.0 PPG), Gary Buchanan (Jr., G, 13.4 PPG)

With Steve Lappas gone to UMass, Hofstra's Jay Wright moves in to coach Villanova. The Wildcats were hit hard by junior Michael Bradley's move to the NBA, and are left with little.

Gary Buchanan, who last year hit a Division I record 73 straight free throws, is the top returner, but that is about all the Wildcats have to build upon.

Wright's first season at the helm of Villanova will be a tough one. Many thought 'Nova was unfairly snubbed from the NCAA Tournament a year ago, but this season the team will be lucky to get an NIT bid.

The tripleheader is not the only highlight of the Big 5 this year. Upstart national power St. Joe's -- the smallest school in last year's NCAA Tournament -- is very good, and might surprise a lot of teams.

Temple is good again and, despite struggling early, seems to always make a run at tournament time.

And as fans know, in the Big 5, anything can happen. Last year, LaSalle upset St. Joe's by a point despite Marvin O'Connor scoring 18 points in the final minute of the contest. Villanova went perfect in the Big 5 despite not making the NCAA Tournament. And Temple, La Salle and St. Joe's all tied for second, with Penn winless and in last place.

Despite the constant changes in Big 5 and Philly basketball over the years, one thing remains constant: great games.

And the fact that anything can happen.

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