COLUMN: Inexperience abounds at the Palestra

From Scott Mulhauser's "On The Ball," Fall '95 As the Quakers fell that fateful day, so too did my realization that in major sports, the Red and Blue do not always win at home, and that, unfortunately, I am not the good luck charm that had kept the streaks alive. A fallible Penn football team is a concept to which I am having a difficult time adjusting. After three losses this year and no outright Ivy championship, I still love the team and the game itself. But during a slow political science lecture or an idle moment, my thoughts begin to wander down the block and inside the hallowed halls of the Palestra. Is the same fate that befell our gridiron greats in store for our basketball squad? Will they too suffer the fate of falling back to the middle of the Ivy pack? After watching the graduation of Penn's own mini-Fab Five, including the ascension of Jerome Allen to the NBA, it seems basketball may be in for the same tumultuous ride. Three factors returning from last season's squad should remain sources of optimism for the Penn faithful. The quick, flashy play of Ira Bowman, the inside game of Tim Krug and the coaching of Fran Dunphy all make me confident Penn will remain in the upper echelon of the Ivy League. Bowman is a floor leader. His quickness and penchant for steals and fast-break baskets made him a crowd favorite last season, despite splitting time with Scott Kegler. That Ira Bowman will be running the point this year was the best news I have heard regarding Penn hoops all semester. Krug is a tough player who has demonstrated over the last two years that he is a force on the court, able to block shots, rebound, and score inside. Dunphy is back as well, and his record speaks for itself. Big wins, great recruiting, solid game plans, execution and discipline are all due to Fran Dunphy. But beyond these three, the concern is inexperience. Without anticipated Indiana transfer Rob Hodgson (whose saga we know all too well) or sophomore guard George Zaninovich, who has left the team for personal reasons, there are major holes to fill. Seniors Donald Moxley and Cedric Laster, juniors Nat Graham and Jamie Lyren, sophomores Vigor Kapetanovic and Garret Kreitz plus a handful of freshmen will, in some combination, be asked to shoulder much of the rest of the burden, certainly a heavy load. The one thing they all have in common is inexperience. Each of the returning players, especially Moxley and Graham, saw some limited action last season, typically when the game's outcome was long since determined. Inexperience can often lead to mistakes, especially down the stretch in the crucial closing minutes. While I don't doubt Penn's ability to compete against the Ivy powers, I worry about their experience and depth. One of the best aspects of last year's squad was you could bring in Ira to replace Jerome, or Krug to replace Eric Moore, without much of a dropoff in quality or experience. Although experience will be in short supply this season, the lack of seasoned veterans may well reap secondary rewards for fans. Scores should be much closer and should frequently come down to the final waning moments. While Penn could still easily win the Ivy crown this winter, games should be much more competitive -- not the foregone conclusions that were most of last season's 14 Ivy wins. This year's Ivy League season should be an exciting, competitive battle between several relatively evenly matched squads. So if and when Penn's "other" streak of 43 consecutive Ivy basketball victories falls, so be it. Sports are a competition, and competitors on a level playing field make for better sport. As a Penn fan I am worried, but as a fan of sport I am encouraged. See you at tip-off Saturday.