Paper: Palestra unlikely to host city hoops games

A deadly shooting outside the building led Penn to reconsider its usage by outside groups. In the aftermath of the shootings near the Palestra last March which killed one person and wounded three others -- including a University student -- members of the Penn community debated whether the high school basketball games that preceded the incident should be held on campus next year. Now, nearly seven months later, administrators are reportedly close to announcing that the University will not host the games -- a decision that could damage Penn's relationship with city leaders and residents. The on-campus shootings on 33rd Street followed the Philadelphia Public League boys and girls championship games, which have long been held in the historic building. Citing an unidentified source, Wednesday's Philadelphia Daily News reported that Penn officials "are leaning toward soon announcing" that the Palestra is not available to the league. University Spokesperson Ken Wildes would not confirm or deny the report, and said it is unclear when Penn will announce its decision. "We understand we have to make a decision soon," he added. Pam Weddington, a spokesperson for the School District of Philadelphia, confirmed that both the Public League and Penn have been involved in "ongoing discussions" since March. Although police officials do not believe the shooting was directly related to the basketball game, University administrators came under criticism last spring for agreeing to host the event at all, especially since gunfire was also reported at the event the previous year. No one was injured in that incident. In the aftermath of the shooting, Penn officials formed a new committee designed "to help make wise decisions" about allowing outside groups to use University-owned facilities, according to a memo from University President Judith Rodin. The committee, made up of top administrators from all across campus, is supposed to evaluate usage requests and make suggestions on how to run the events as smoothly as possible. Public league officials had to scramble two weeks after the championship game to find a venue for its annual all-star game doubleheader, which was scheduled for Drexel University. But Drexel canceled the event, citing safety concerns arising from the Palestra shooting. St. Joseph's University volunteered to host the game shortly after Drexel made its decision. The shootings rocked both Penn and the city, and the case is winding its way through the courts. On March 15, police obtained an arrest warrant for Kyle McLemore, 21, of South Philadelphia's Grays Ferry section. Two days later, he turned himself in at the Center City office of his lawyer, Charles Peruto Jr. Nearly two months later, police also arrested Nate Ortiz, 21, of the 1800 block of South 6th Street. Their trials have yet to begin. The men allegedly shot and killed Anthony Davis, 22, of North Philadelphia. Davis had allegedly fired a shot at McLemore, before being shot in the back. He was pronounced dead later that day at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. McLemore and Ortiz are also suspected of having shot and wounded Davis' companion, 19-year-old Jeffrey Noble, 20-year-old acquaintance Latisha Feribee and John La Bombard who, at the time of the shootings, was a 21-year old College senior. La Bombard was working on a project in the Blauhaus -- a Fine Arts building located on 33rd and Chestnut streets --when a stray gunshot hit him in the left leg. He was released the next day from Allegheny University Hospitals-Hahnemann. As the debate continues, neither side denies that the building -- which Public League Coaches' Association President Mitchell Kurtz said is part of "basketball history" -- is an ideal site for the games. "The Palestra should be the place where all the kids play," he said.