COLUMN: Monday's season-opener bodes well for M. Hoops

From Scott Mulhauser's "On The Ball," Fall '95 It was opening night for Penn hoops, and a new generation of "Baby Quakers" was about to take the floor to face USC, a Pac-10 squad full of scholarship athletes used to facing top-25 opponents. With two proven stars and a cast of unknowns, the Quakers were about to play a game that would be a big barometer in gauging their progress and determining how well they had developed as a team in the preseason. The previous weekend, Penn had fared well against a Russian squad, but the game didn't prove that much -- the Russian players resembled Penn coach Fran Dunphy more closely than Ira Bowman, Tim Krug or any other player in a Quakers uniform. As the opening tip set the game underway, a quick glance noted a sparse crowd, later announced at a mere 4,191 -- not even half of the Palestra's capacity. Despite the half-empty arena, the Red and Blue soon demonstrated they could compete with the Trojans, and the game remained a close, tense, evenly-matched battle from the first bucket until Ira Bowman's missed desperation shot at the final buzzer. The game was chock full of drama -- surprising performances, debatable calls, dropped cheerleaders and a clutch shot in the waning seconds to win the game for USC. While the game's ending was disappointing, my thoughts on the contest are varied and numerous. Ira Bowman clearly looks better bald than with hair, and what a tremendous game he played. With his socks jacked all the way up, he played 38 out of a possible 40 minutes and ended the game with 24 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and four steals. His performance dispelled any criticism that he couldn't run the Penn offense and thrust himself into the position of frontrunner in the Ivy League Player of the Year competition. Bowman is proving himself to be a complete, well-rounded ballplayer, and more than just the high-flying dunker some had feared he was. Tim Krug was also a huge factor. With Penn down by three points with under a minute left, the Quakers needed a clutch shot in a big way. Krug stepped up and hit a three pointer that tied the game and electrified the crowd. His willingness to take a shot that would have been Jerome Allen's or Matt Maloney's last season demonstrates his assumption of the leadership role and bodes well for the future of the Red and Blue. Heading into the game, inexperience was a big concern, but several players, who came into the game as relative unknowns to much of the Quakers faithful, should calm some fears about the upcoming season. Impressive minutes by Donald Moxley, Jamie Lyren and Bill Guthrie should dispel the worries of those who debate Penn's ability to compete for the Ivy title this year. Despite the agony of losing such a close game, these performances were encouraging. Thus Friday's game leaves me with a mixed bag of thoughts and emotions. In front of a small but vocal crowd the Quakers played well against a bigger, more experienced opponent. Although I'm still worried about Penn's consistency, and question marks linger, many doubts have been erased and I have high hopes for the rest of the season.