No clear cut top dog in City Series

The Madness comes early in Philadelphia.

While the rest of the country has to wait until March for its basketball fix, the rat race that is the Big 5 city series is just weeks away.

The annual round robin officially tips off with a tripleheader at the Palestra on Dec. 7. Then, all roads -- be it City Line, Olney, North Broad or Lancaster -- will lead to the storied Palestra, for the recently-restored Big 5 Classic.

Penn, who posted an undefeated record in the city series for the first time since 1973-1974, will be hard-pressed to match that mark this season, what with four considerably revamped opponents on their heels.

It's St. Joseph's versus city rival Drexel in the opener, followed by a Villanova-La Salle tilt that will match up two of the city's newest coaches -- and two of its highest-powered offenses.

Penn will open its Big 5 title defense in the nightcap, looking to crack Temple coach John Chaney's vaunted matchup zone defense for the second year in a row.

With the college basketball season already underway, no single city program stands out as a clear cut favorite. The five teams are as evenly matched as they've been in years, and all signs point to another wildly exciting winter of basketball in Philadelphia.

ST. JOSEPH'S:

Last year: 19-12, 12-4 in Atlantic 10 (t-1st East Division), 1-3 Big 5 (t-4th); lost in 2nd round of NIT

Coach: Phil Martelli

Key losses: Marvin O'Connor (G, 18.0 PPG), Bill Phillips (F, 7.4 RPG), Na'im Crenshaw (G, 14.3 PPG), Damian Reid (F, 6.6 RPG)

Key returnees: Jameer Nelson (Jr., G, 14.0 PPG)

Last year's hype-laden preseason seems like light years ago.

Just months following an inspired run in the 2001 NCAAs, the Hawks found themselves ranked No. 10 in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today preseason polls. The fearless backcourt tandem of O'Connor and Nelson was being touted the nation's best, and whispers of a Final Four run were prevalent around Hawk Hill.

But a season-opening loss to an ordinary Eastern Washington team quickly brought the Hawks back down to earth. Despite compiling a winning record and tying for first place in the hard-fought Atlantic 10 East, St. Joe's struggled for consistency throughout the season. Things really unravelled after the New Year, as they lost six of their final 12 games before bowing out quietly to Dayton, 81-74, in the first round of the Atlantic 10 tournament.

Now, Martelli has to find a way to replace 5,000 points and 2,200 rebounds -- not to mention a distinctive team chemistry.

Six newcomers will help cut the losses. But clearly, this is Nelson's team.

Martelli will ask even more from the former National Freshman of the Year. His 188 assists were a team-high last year, and he did manage to bump up his scoring average. But he'll need to step up defensively if the Hawks expect to challenge for an A-10 division title.

Sophomore Delonte West should provide some punch in the backcourt, alleviating some of the scoring burden for Nelson. Junior Tyrone Barley -- Nelson's understudy for two seasons -- will finally get a shot in the starting lineup.

A lot could hinge on the return of senior center Alexandre Sazonov who, at 7-foot-1, is the tallest player in the program's 93-year history. Injuries hampered the Moscow native out for a chunk of last season, but Martelli is confident that he will contribute.

TEMPLE:

Last year: 19-5, 12-4 in Atlantic 10 (t-1st East), 1-3 Big 5 (t-4nd); Won Third place in NIT

Coach: John Chaney

Key Losses: Lynn Greer (G, 22.6 PPG), Kevin Lyde (C, 8.3 RPG)

Key Returnees: Alex Wesby (Sr., F, 11.0 PPG), David Hawkins (Jr., G, 15.1 PPG)

Ever the alchemist, the venerable Chaney did it once again in 2002, turning a 6-12 start into an Atlantic 10 regular-season title and a 19th consecutive trip to postseason play.

But the Hall of Fame coach has some big shoes to fill if he expects to make it 20 straight.

The tireless point guard Greer left Temple as the program's second all-time leading scorer behind Mark Macon. Up front, they lose durable pivot man Kevin Lyde, who became the third Owl to record 1,000 points (1,188) and 1,000 rebounds (1,006) in a career.

Once again, Chaney has assembled a strong team -- underline team -- in Temple's pursuit of their first A-10 tournament championship since 2000. Expect to see the standard, strong defensive efforts nightly. As always, Temple will look to force its opponents into poor shots and bad decisions and let their scoring take care of itself.

But if a hero does rise for the Owls, it will be hometown product Alex Wesby. Once a Philadelphia Public League Player of the Year at Ben Franklin, Wesby should emerge as the team's offensive leader. After returning from a wrist injury in January, he led the Owls through a 12-3 stretch run -- culminating with a career-high 25 points in an NIT semifinal loss to Memphis.

David Hawkins, who filled in admirably at the point when Greer went down in the NIT, will complement Wesby offensively. The leading scorer among Temple's returnees, Hawkins is that strong-rebounding guard that fits so well in Chaney's system. With Temple looking strong on the perimeter, Wesby should be particularly effective at his wing guard position.

It's not the best team North Broad Street has ever seen, but Chaney's done great things with less talent than this. As long as he keeps drilling his feared matchup zone at his infamous 5:30 a.m. practice sessions -- and they manage to stay afloat through their gauntlet of a non-conference schedule -- Temple will be a tough draw come tournament time.

LA SALLE:

Last Year: 15-17, 6-10 Atlantic 10 (4th West), 2-2 Big 5 (t-2nd)

Coach: Billy Hahn

Key losses: Rasual Butler (F, 22.1 PPG), Julian Blanks (G, 5.1 APG)

Key returnees: Mike Cleaves (So., G, 11.7 PPG), Reggie Okosa (Sr., F, 8.2 RPG)

Butler and Blanks, the last stars of the Speedy Morris regime, are gone. And with Hahn inked until 2007 -- he signed in September -- it appears that a new era of Explorers basketball has begun.

It didn't take long for Hahn to act on his reputation as a masterful recruiter. His side will dress six incoming freshman this season, including Maryland wunderkind Jermaine Thomas.

The Explorers also return super sophomore Mike Cleaves, the Big 5 Rookie of the Year. The 5-foot-10 guard had a excellent freshman campaign, notching 11.7 points per game and hitting over 40 percent of his three-point attempts.

With La Salle's sudden depth and improved athleticism, look for Hahn to employ a pressure defense to create easy baskets at the other end -- not unlike the system used at Maryland, where he was an assistant for eight seasons. The Explorers' propensity for an up-tempo style could result in some sloppy stretches early on, but the tools are there.

The NCAAs? Probably not this year. But if the Explorers can sneak up on their A-10 competition and finish respectably in the conference tournament, an NIT bid is a good possibility.

VILLANOVA:

Last Season: 19-13, 7-9 Big East (t-3rd East), 2-2 Big 5 (t-2nd); lost in quarterfinals of NIT

Coach: Jay Wright

Key Loss: Brooks Sales (C, 9.1 RPG)

Key Returnees: Gary Buchanan (Sr., G, 17.8 PPG), Ricky Wright (Sr., F, 13.7 PPG), Derrick Snowden (Jr., G, 3.9 APG)

After edging Temple on national television at the Palestra last December, 70-66, the Owls returned the favor by ousting the Wildcats in the third round of the NIT, ending Jay Wright's first season at the helm. The grudge match at the Ski Lodge on New Years Eve promises to barnburner.

The talent-laden Wildcats couldn't buy a bucket in their season-opener Friday night against No. 18 Marquette at Madison Square Garden, shooting under 30 percent on their way to a 73-61 defeat. They missed their first 20 three-point attempts, many of them airballs, and finished a dreadful 3-for-26 from behind the arc.

But credit their abysmal shooting night to opening night jitters -- this group is for real. Their much-ballyhooed recruiting class, led by blue chip forward Jason Fraser, is surely the best in the city. Fraser is incomplete, but will be learning on the job with the departure of the workhorse Sales. Classmates Randy Foye, Curtis Sumpter and Allan Ray joined Fraser on many Top 50 lists throughout the recruiting process, and will contribute effectively if Wright can find the right recipe.

All-Big 5 first team selection Ricky Wright will look to build on his success from last season. The rough and tumble forward has grown into one of the most effective interior scorers in the city, and should also help to groom the raw Fraser.

Despite the apparent youth movement, the keystone is the senior Buchanan. Plagued by injuries throughout his career, the Wildcats will need his leadership throughout the arduous Big East schedule -- not to mention his perimeter shooting -- if they expect to make the Big Dance for the first time in four seasons.

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