Jerome Allen to be named next basketball head coach

According to a reliable source within the athletic department, it was confirmed that Jerome Allen will be named the next John R. Rockwell head coach of the men's basketball team, likely within the hour.

Allen has served as the interim head coach since Glen Miller was fired from the head position Dec. 14.

A press conference will be held tomorrow though the time and location are yet to be determined.

UPDATE: Athletic Director Steve Bilsky has announced that Allen has been named head coach.  For the full story, see www.thedp.com

Check thedp.com  for more information on this breaking story.



Other Ivy Coaching News

Steve  Bilsky might be in the "final stages" of the search for Penn's next John R. Rockwell Head Coach of Men's Basketball, but there's some other coaching news out there related to the Ivy League.

Yesterday, Iowa announced that Fran McCaffery, formerly the head coach at Siena, would be the Hawkeyes' new coach. McCaffery played for Penn from 1979-82 and had been rumored as a theoretical candidate for the Penn job. However, in my opinion, there was very little chance McCaffery would take the Penn job since it seems to be a step down from a scholarship-giving gig (though Albany isn't exactly Philadelphia).

With an opening at an upstate New York school that does give scholarships, it would seem logical that a coach currently at an upstate New York that doesn't give scholarships would consider moving three hours east on interstate 88. Cornell coach Steve Donahue is rumored to be on the list of candidates for the St. John's job, though it appears former UCLA coach Steve Lavin has the inside track there. Additionally, the Cornell Basketball Blog claims that Donahue is unlikely to take a mid-major job that didn't involve a move to the Philadelphia area.

More looks at Ivy coaches after the jump.

Still with me? If you are, another potential St. John's interviewee could be current Harvard coach Tommy Amaker. However, Amaker told the Crimson that "I’m not looking for anything. We’re completely happy with what we’re doing here and where we are—and we’re hopeful that the powers that be are happy with me.”

There's no reason to assuming he's lying . His wife also works at a Harvard-affiliated hospital, and in a 2001 article in the Michigan Daily, Amaker issued the following quote: “Any decision made in the Amaker household is a joint decision, and I'm not the coach of that team.”

But a word of caution about anything any coach says about leaving or not leaving his current job. While doing some research into the last search for a Penn coach, I came across this gem reported by former DP Executive Editor and sports writer David Burrick:

"Brown coach Glen Miller, considered to be another of the leading candidates for the Penn job, also publicly stated his desire to keep his job this weekend.

He told his hometown paper, The Day of New London, Conn., that he plans on staying at Brown and working out a contract extension.

Miller said he is not a formal candidate for the Penn job and does not plan on interviewing with Bilsky."

That was written on April 17, 2006. Eight days later, Glen Miller was introduced as Penn head coach.

(Speaking of Glen Miller: it's old news, but here is a profile on Miller post-Penn done by the same newspaper that quoted him as saying he'd stay at Brown.)



Another tidbit from Bilsky

While transcribing the interview I came across this zinger from Athletic Director Steve Bilsky:

DP: And you see a tie to Penn or even to philly not necessarily as an exclusionary factor but as a big factor?

Bilsky: Absolutely, you said it. I mean, you wouldn’t rule out whoever the best coach is, but you would want to have appreciation of Penn. I would rule somebody out if they thought we were Penn State, for example"



Athletic Director Steve Bilsky speaks out on coaching search

I, along with 2 colleagues, sat down with Mr. Bilsky this afternoon to talk Penn hoops, the coaching search, and a little bit about what Cornell's run means to him.

By far the most newsworthy note of our conversation was that Bilsky told us the candidate pool has been narrowed down to 9 people, a stark contrast to rumors saying that interim-coach Jerome Allen has the job locked up.

Bilsky said that while there is no timetable for announcing the next coach, the process is in its "final stages".

He also offered a breakdown of the 9 candidates experience saying that:

  • 6 are Division I head coaches
  • 1 is a DI assistant coach
  • 2 are from the "professional ranks" — the NBA
We'll be putting together a package of hoops related coverage for Monday's (and the rest of the week's) paper, so look out for that.

In the meantime, speculate away.



Kentucky no friend of the Ivy League

Up by 16 at the half, one Kentucky player came out of the locker room on CBS's online feed and declared to the camera "This ain't no spelling bee, this is a basketball game!"

Sounds like a dig at the Ivy League.

Check thedp.com/sports for a recap of this spelling bee later tonight.

UPDATE: My sister has alerted me to this NYTimes piece about the Cornell/Kentucky game in which DeMarcus Cousins provided the same quote, so I guess it wasn't new news.

The Times' "Quad" blog has had some interesting stuff throughout the week, notably this post from Penn basketball alum Stephen Danley comparing Cornell to the Bucknell team that gave Kansas a ride a few years back

Enjoy the rest of round two this weekend.



The Winning Stuff

Browsing the DP archives yesterday I found a gem squeezed between some junk.  Fresh off an undefeated Ivy League Championship, the 1982-'83 Quakers were under new management.  Bob Weinhauer (who took them to the Final Four) was out, In was Craig Littlepage.  And though they had "The Winning Stuff" the season before, Penn couldn't repeat, taking 2nd with an 11-3 record.  Nonetheless, they looked great in their suits in front of Weightman Hall.

82-83 Media Guide Back cover

Those finely appareled gentleman on the back cover were the team's five seniors (from right to left): Avery Rawlings, co-captains Michael Brown and Paul Little along with George Noon and David Lardner.

Other notemeal from the guide include

  • A young assistant athletic director — Steve Bilsky
  • Assistant coach Tom Schneider, who took over upon Littlepage's exit
  • junior George May's roster spot lists his high school coach; former Women's hoops coach Pat Knapp
Was anyone around to see these guys play? Memories from the '83 season?



Leibovitz has not interviewed for position

Rumors have been buzzing around message boards and on campus that University of Hartford coach Dan Leibovitz was in Penn last weekend to interview for the men's basketball coaching position.

But Leibovitz told The Daily Pennsylvanian there was no truth to the "ludicrous rumor." Not only did he not interview for the position, but he threw his endorsement behind interim coach Jerome Allen.

"I want Jerome to get the job," he said, adding "me interviewing for the job was the furthest thing to happen that weekend."

Apparently, Leibovitz came to campus to spend time with assistant coaches John Gallagher (who was one of his assistants at Hartford) and Mike Martin. While waiting for Gallagher to meet him at campus, he was spotted around Weightman Hall--and that's where the buzz began.



What is Steve Bilsky waiting for?

About an hour ago our industrious Senior Sports Editor Michael Gold reported that Andy Toole has not been contacted about the coaching vacancy in the men's basketball program. A respected assistant at a solid mid major in Robert Morris, Toole is a Penn alumnus who was considered (and reported by Adam Zagoria) as a top candidate for the job.

To me this indicates that Penn Athletic Director Steve Bilsky is just blowing smoke with this whole waiting game nonsense. If he were actually considering hiring somebody not named Jerome Allen, then Toole most certainly would have been contacted by now, especially since there are reports that the decision will be made before the Final Four, which as you all probably know means sometime next week at the latest. Unless lots of these reports are erroneous, which isn't impossible, then all indications are that Allen will be hired any day now.

So Steve Bilsky, I ask you this: What in the world are you waiting for? There may be factors at play that I don't know about, so I'm not going to chastise Bilsky without making that disclaimer. However, with Penn's star point guard and first-ever sophomore captain Zack Rosen supporting coach Allen, and at least five of Penn's seven talented recruits expressing their support for Allen, I wonder what possible reason Bilsky could have for putting this off. I know for a fact that there are still outstanding recruiting decisions hanging in the balance, not to mention the need to secure assistant coaches John Gallagher and Mike Martin. None of those things can happen until Jerome Allen is hired, and the longer Bilsky waits, the more tenuous the situation becomes.

Needless to say, Bilsky is on the hot seat, his job is in jeopardy, and if he makes the wrong move here, it will be his position that Penn needs a national search to fill. But with the overwhelming support that Allen is getting, I don't think anybody will blame Bilsky if Allen doesn't succeed. So Mr. Bilsky, quit goofing around and go get this thing done.



Possible Hoops coach candidate has "not been contacted"

Earlier this month, Adam Zagoria reported that Robert Morris assistant coach Andy Toole was a (if not the) leading candidate for the Penn coaching job. But it looks as if we can put those rumors to rest.

Toole told The Daily Pennsylvanian today that he has not yet been contacted by anyone about the Penn coaching position -- nor does he "plan on being contacted by anyone."

"As far as I know,  Jerome is still the coach," Toole said. And Toole thinks that should Allen's position be made permanent, the interim coach would do a "terrific job" in large part because of his ability to manage players, assistants and to handle the enthusiasm of the Penn community.

Still, Toole expressed his interest in the position should it be given to him. "When the opportunity to coach your alma mater is presented to you," he said, "I think a lot of people would be interested"



Presidential picks

Last year, for the first time, we were successful in getting Penn president Amy Gutmann's NCAA bracket. And this year, we've managed to repeat the feat.

I've had this since Thursday afternoon but wanted to wait until the first round was over to evaluate Dr. Gutmann's picks. The Penn prez clearly has some Philly pride (with Villanova heading to the Final Four), but after yesterday's Cornell upset, perhaps some Ivy League camaraderie would have been a better choice. Then again, it's entirely possible she put faith in a statistic that a certain former DP writer has been touting for a week.

Since I know that many of our readers will be asking, yes, there are similarities between Dr. Gutmann's bracket and the picks made by a certain other President earlier this week. But I don't think either of them had anything truly revolutionary, and I think that the Penn President took a few more risks, particularly her choices of ODU in the first round and Purdue in the Elite Eight (full disclosure: I attended Indiana University for a year prior to transferring to Penn, so my bias in this selection is pretty clear).

I know that it wouldn't be fair to subject Amy Gutmann's bracket to such scrutiny without letting you look at mine, so here it is.



Penn at Princeton Live Blog

Michael Gold here tonight at Jadwin Gymnasium in scenic Princeton, N.J. The Ivy title may already have been secured, and it may be Spring Break for the Quakers, but both Penn and Princeton will be putting forth a strong effort in the last Ivy game of the 2009-10 season--with the Tigers out to earn a postseason bid.

Though you may already be lying on a beach in Acapulco or hanging out in your hotel room in London, I'll be here tonight to bring you all the action. So follow along with me at our liveblog, or follow our updates on Twitter.

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Another 'P' for QB/P

Guess who pitched for the Quakers in Baseball's 18-8 loss to Maine yesterday?

Well, the once-magnificent Todd Roth got the start and picked up where 2009 left off, allowing eight runs (seven earned) in 2 1/3 innings.

But the big news is the lefty who entered in the seventh: Kyle Olson. Yes, that Kyle Olson, the punter/quarterback who stormed on the scene after transferring to Penn in 2008, and who, after Keiffer Garton got hurt, led the football team to this year's Ivy League crown.

Apparently, he plays baseball, too. At Fullerton College, Olson hit .310 while playing first base and pitching sporadically.

No word yet on whether he's assumed full LOOGY status; in two-thirds of an inning against Maine, he allowed one run on one hit.

Check the DP after Spring Break for a full story.



Bilsky has no comment on Zagoria report

Moments after posting my thoughts on Adam Zagoria's report that Jerome Allen will officially be named Penn's head coach, I was forwarded an e-mail from Athletic Director Steve Bilsky to Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Keith Pompey. Here's what Bilsky wrote:

"We're not going to comment on the veracity of any particular blog or rumor, but the search is ongoing and will intensify during this month"



Don't hold your breath on Jerome Allen report

As my colleague Zach Klitzman wrote earlier today, Adam Zagoria  reported on his blog that "Penn interim head coach Jerome Allen will officially be named the program’s full-time coach before the Final Four, sources close to the program said."

If you ask me, it's way too early to accept that.

I just talked to the Athletic Department and am awaiting an official statement, but to me this seems like an extremely premature and questionable report. I want to be clear that I am not questioning Zagoria's legitimacy or responsibility as a journalist, but without knowing his sources I'll say from what I do know that in this case it seems like the best information he could have is that Penn decided it WANTS Jerome Allen back but hasn't finalized anything.

That is the farthest they could possibly be in the process right now. They need to agree to a contract before they can make an announcement, and I highly doubt they've been negotiating contracts as Allen tries to wrap up this season with a strong finish. Yes, Allen and Steve Bilsky could have verbally agreed that they both want this to be the situation. Yes, Bilsky could have decided that his timetable is the Final Four. He may have even decided not to bother with interviewing other candidates (although Zagoria's trustworthy inside source merely said they "might" not interview outside candidates). All of those things could definitely be — and based on Zagoria's report probably are — true. But you cannot jump from that to a definitive statement that Allen will be the guy.

To think for one second that this is set in stone right now would be irresponsible. Not only is the contract not finalized, and probably not even past the initial negotiation stages, but it would be disadvantageous for Bilsky to say anything publicly until it's final. That's why I don't think he will end up releasing any sort of press release today in response to Zagoria's report.

All that said, today's events definitely mean that, in all likelihood, Jerome Allen will be your new full-time Penn men's basketball coach. Just don't count that chicken until it hatches.



Jerome Allen hired?

According to NBA.com and SNY.tv writer Adam Zagoria (of ZagsBlog), sources close to Penn have said that Jerome Allen will be announced as full-time Penn coach sometime before the Final Four.

"Not only alum [sic] have gone to AD Steve Bilsky, but boosters, donors, parents and players have pledged their unconditional support,” a source told the blog. “They might not even interview outside candidates."

After taking over for Glen Miller seven games into the season, Allen has gone 6-14, including an upset of then-No. 22 Cornell in February.

Make sure to check back at thedp.com as we pursue this story.

(HT Noah Becker)



M. Hoops vs. Harvard Liveblog

Welcome, Quakers fans, to the Palestra for tonight's matchup between the Penn Quakers and the Harvard Crimson. Harvard aims to sweep the Quakers for the first time in over 60 years, and they're still looking out for a postseason bid. Penn looking to end its season on a positive note and pick up some momentum heading into next year. I'm here at the Palestra to keep you updated if you've already ducked out for Spring Break. So park it on a beach chair, get a mojito in one hand, and stay tuned while I keep you updated on all the action:

Penn vs. Harvard



Nice article on Zack Rosen's thoughts on losing

Jerry Carino of MyCentralJersey.com wrote a nice piece on Zack Rosen and how he is dealing with all of the losing at Penn these last two years compared with the tremendous success of his high school teams. Here are some interesting highlights from the article:

1. Rosen's comments: "I've always been on teams that have had a lot of success, and coming here I expected it would be the same thing," Rosen said last week. "That's not the case. It takes a lot more effort, more work, more commitment. It take a lot more of everything and it's been frustrating, but I think we've got a good foundation." ... On how he's stayed motivated on such a bad team: "By not letting it me bring me down, but embracing it and making me stronger for it," he explained. "That's been the key, taking the right attitude and working hard no matter what the circumstances."

2. One of his quotes in the story seems to imply that Darren Smith will be working out this summer and trying to return next season. After missing two full seasons with his knee injury, Smith would be eligible to apply for a fifth year if he proves that he needs the fifth year to do something academically as well. This usually entails something like taking on a second major or anything else that gives the player a legitimate academic reason for needing a fifth year before graduating. It's certainly something that's been discussed here and elsewhere in the circles of Penn basketball discussion, but I think the common opinion was that Smith wouldn't have a good reason to play a 5th year, especially considering the playing time constraints the team will face next year with a huge recruiting class.

3. The article mentions that Rosen has a 3.1 GPA in Wharton. I'm not in Wharton, so I can't judge that, but for someone with so much time tied up in basketball, it doesn't seem too shabby.



Woman in the NBA? W. Hoops team does not buy it

Last Wednesday, the women's basketball team allowed me to join them in practice and participate in most of the drills.

For those of you who have not already read the article, you can find it here. Spoiler alert: they kicked my ass. I am curious to hear reactions to the article.

I know it seems ridiculous to be positive about a 1-24 team, but I was truly impressed and believe everything that I wrote. From reading his quotes in the paper, coach Mike McLaughlin may sound trite and full of Crash Davis-esque cliches, but I came away from this practice extremely impressed with his -- and the team's -- demeanor and positive attitude. His optimism and kindness really aren't a charade, and I believe the players appreciate it. That doesn't mean he never gets angry, but he keeps it in check compared to predecessor Pat Knapp.

There was some material I gleaned through interviews that did not make it into the newspaper, but that I thoguht was interesting nonetheless. After being manhandled by the women, I asked their opinions on NBA commissioner David Stern's recent comments to Sports Illustrated that a woman could play in the NBA within the next decade.

"I definitely don't see it," senior Amy Donovan said. "I think that women are becoming much more athletic. They're definitely closing the gap and becoming much more skilled, and the game is getting better. But I just think if you took the best women's championship UConn team and put them against a lower-level men's Division I team, they wouldn't stand a chance, just because of the strength and athleticism."

While the women's game has evolved substantially in recent years -- and still has more room for future growth -- Donovan's statements were echoed by everyone I talked to. Instead, they said that people should respect the women's game for what it is, even if there are fewer high-flying, acrobatic dunks.

"I don't know, [the NBA is] such a high level, a special level, for gifted, athletic, tall, big, strong, physical [players]," McLaughlin said. "I don't know if I believe that as much. I think the women's game is special in its own way. If they don't achieve to play with the men, I don't think that's any drawback [on the women's game]."

The players said that there is evidence that women's basketball is starting to get more credit nationally, citing the increased Sportscenter coverage of UConn women's basketball and the recognition of 6'8" Baylor star Brittney Grimer's ability to play above the rim.

Still, the unspoken sentiment was that there is a certain limit to how close the women can get to the men, and based on the physiological differences between the genders, I have to agree.

"Men are always going to have the upper hand in athleticism" senior Sarah Bucar said. "I'm not a huge feminist or anything, I'm just looking at it the way it is."

When asked to assess Stern's comments, senior Caitlin Slover, who said that she doesn't watch the NBA because she is not a fan, nodded over to the men's team as it started practice.

"That would be like me going out and saying, 'I could guard Zack [Rosen].' It's not going to happen. Or [saying], 'I could guard Darren [Smith].' Well, Darren, he's pretty old and slow so that can happen," she joked. "It's just one of those things where men are so much more physically fit and stronger. I just don't foresee it."

Based on my performance at practice, I guess it's fair to say that all of those supposed male physical advantages didn't find their way to me.



Correction: One for the record books

It's official: This year's Penn women's basketball team has lost more games than any other.

The Quakers picked up historic defeat No. 24 thanks to tonight's 62-40 loss to Cornell at the Palestra. The 1995-96 squad, previously the losingest in school history, finished 3-23 (.115).

The Red and Blue (1-24) have three games remaining, so technically, they could finish with a .143 winning percentage, marginally better than that 95-96 team. But somehow, I don't foresee consecutive victories at Harvard, at Dartmouth and at Princeton.

Not a pretty welcome for first-year coach Mike McLaughlin. He'll be able to bring in his own recruits next year, of course, but it may take some time to turn this around.

*An earlier version of this post said that for the first time in the program's 31-year history, Penn would end the year winless at home. Only one problem, which my editor dutifully pointed out: The Quakers' lone victory this season was actually at the Palestra on Dec. 31, as they defeated St. Francis (N.Y.), 52-48. Thus, they finished the year 1-11 in friendly confines, and I owe McLaughlin and his players an apology. Penn has, however, tied a program record by losing eight straight at home; we'll have to wait until November to see if that continues.



Penn M. Hoops @ Cornell Live blog

Neil Fanaroff and Eli Cohen here at the sold out Newman Arena in Ithaca, NY for tonight's contest between the Cornell Big Red and Penn Quakers. Penn will look to spoil Cornell's Senior Night, as this is the final home game for Cornell's Big Three of Louis Dale, Jeff Foote and Ryan Wittman. Cornell looks to avenge its only Ivy loss of the season and end its career at Newman on a high note. Follow along with me here:

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