Basketball Notebook

Begley gets to show his stuff in front of NBA crowdTim Begley was able to live the dream of so many kids who grow up with a basketball hoop in their driveway when he was invited to a pre-draft workout with the Philadelphia 76ers.

But when it was over, the headlines he made were more about what he said off the court than what he did on it.

In an interview with the media after his workout, Begley said that he did not expect to be drafted, and would pursue a career in Europe.

His reasons for doing so, however, were not as simple as his self-admitted lack of athleticism compared to the stars who heard their names called this past Tuesday night.

"I'm sure these other guys are in here telling you how much they are looking forward to playing in the NBA, but to be completely honest I don't really enjoy watching NBA basketball too much," he said. "I enjoy watching certain players -- a guy like Steve Nash [of Phoenix], a guy like Manu Ginobili [of San Antonio] -- guys like that, I think, really understand the game, the way it's supposed to be played."

By contrast, Begley described the NBA as "a lot of throw the ball down the post and let the big guys do their thing, just a lot different than the kind of basketball I enjoy playing."

Such remarks might not be too controversial coming from a veteran of Penn coach Fran Dunphy's passing oriented offense, especially one whose hairstyle resembles those of the players he appreciates. Guards such as Jerome Allen, Matt Maloney, Geoff Owens and Jeff Schiffner have all moved on from the Palestra to find prosperous careers in professional basketball, especially in Europe.

But in the days after Begley's tryout, there were questions as to whether an NBA practice was the best place to express his thoughts on the league's style of play.

This week, the Freehold, N.J., native clarified his earlier remarks in an interview with The Summer Pennsylvanian, saying that he had no ill intentions.

"I didn't mean to take any shots at the NBA," he said. "I was more trying to praise the way teams play overseas, and the way people play overseas, for the most part. You ask any kid who plays international ball, their dream is to play in the NBA, but they have to play the game at a different pace."

Begley admitted that his views on basketball stem from his "athletic ability, or I guess lack thereof."

"The guys in the NBA are the most talented athletically in the world, I think," he said. "I'm not as talented as those guys for the most part, so I have to play the game a bit differently."

In fact, the tryout might not have happened had Marquette guard Travis Diener been able to get to Philadelphia in time for his scheduled workout.

"It was a last minute type of thing -- I got a call Sunday night for a Monday morning workout," Begley said. "I was more than willing to go down and help out."

Yet another example of the connections that come with a Penn degree. Votel shines at All-Star Game

While Tim Begley's Quaker basketball career has come to an end, Brennan Votel's is about to begin. He recently played in the two-game BB&T; Kentucky-Indiana All-Star Classic, and was given the difficult task of guarding Indiana's Mr. Basketball, Luke Zeller. While Indiana won both games, Votel earned praise for his defense on the 7-foot Zeller, who will attend Notre Dame.

In the first game, played at Western Kentucky University's E.A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Ky., Votel held Zeller to only two points on 1-of-5 shooting and seven rebounds. Votel pulled down five boards and scored 11 points, making him one of only three Kentucky players to score in double figures.

Indiana won that game 94-72.

The second game was played at Conseco Field House in Indianapolis, and Zeller had a better game in his home state. He scored 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including two three-pointers, and pulled down 12 rebounds. Votel scored six points on 2-of-10 shooting, and was shut out on the boards. The game as a whole was another easy win for Indiana, finishing 88-65 for the home team.

Schedule comes together

While the Penn basketball team has not officially released its schedule, some parts of it have already been made public.

Penn coach Fran Dunphy confirmed that the Quakers will travel to fabled Cameron Indoor Stadium to take on Duke, although the date of that game has not been finalized.

A spokesperson for Penn Athletics confirmed that Penn will face Temple in the Big 5 Classic on Dec. 3 at the Palestra. It will be the first time since 2002 that the Quakers and Owls will meet in the Big 5 Classic, and it means that Drexel and La Salle will face off in the other half of the doubleheader.

The event has been scaled back for this season. Villanova and Saint Joseph's were

scheduled to meet in the nightcap of the tripleheader, but ESPN asked for the "Holy War" matchup between the Wildcats and Hawks to be moved to the network's February "Rivalry Week," and both schools obliged.

Penn fans still without plans for Winter Break can consider a trip to Hawaii, as the Quakers will head to Honolulu to take on the Rainbow Warriors

on Dec. 29.

In accordance with the Big 5 rotation, Penn's games against St. Joseph's and Villanova will be Penn home games played at the Palestra. Penn's matchup against La Salle is an away game, but the site has not yet been announced. La Salle plays most of its Big 5 matchups at the Palestra, but two years ago, the last time it hosted the Quakers, the game was held at the Tom Gola Arena.

Penn will begin Ivy League play on Friday, Jan. 26 against either Cornell or Columbia.

A spokesperson for Penn said that the full men's schedule will be released in August.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.