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Where are all the fans?
Having empty stands at a Neumann-Goretti-Roman Catholic boys’ basketball game is like no one showing up at Lincoln Financial Field for a battle between the Eagles and Cowboys.
But the lack of attendance in the Jan. 2 Catholic League meeting wasn’t by choice. It was the punishment handed down by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Office of Catholic Education for a spectator melee that broke out following the 2006 Catholic League championship game, where the two squads met to play for the crown. The sanctions include no fans at two regular-season games, while the other is Neumann-Goretti coach Carl Arrigale being suspended for the first four regular-season matches of ’07.
Fans or no fans, the games must be played. The quote of the day, which served as inspiration for the Saints, was, "Great players play when people aren’t in the gym." It was repeated by several coaches and teammates before and after the match.
With a 71-68 victory, Neumann-Goretti lived up to the mantra.
Of course there were plenty of television cameras and newspaper photographers around the gymnasium at 10th and Moore streets as media members were among the small group permitted in the building.
Sanctions aside, this was still a league game between two rivals who were opening the Catholic League season against one another.
"I always get up for Neumann-Goretti-Roman," senior Antonio "Scoop" Jardine said. "We could play outside, play anywhere."
Anybody who tried to enter the 11th Street side of the school parking lot was turned away, unless they were media, school officials or on the short list of invitees.
The lack of fans wasn’t a problem, though.
"As long as we have our teammates with us, that’s all we need," Jardine, who scored 12 points in the fourth quarter, said.
In preparation for the big game, Arrigale, who is permitted to lead practice, held a three-hour session New Year’s Day to make sure his squad was ready to play without him. Tuesday afternoon, junior varsity head coach John Masco took over the reins, making him 1-0 in a varsity role. As a result, it was Masco, not Arrigale, doing all those post-game interviews. He even called his wife via cell phone to pass on the word he would be appearing on Channel 6 Action News. But this is not something he plans on getting accustomed to.
"I’ll never get used to that," Masco said of all the interviews. "Carl [Arrigale] likes the limelight. I don’t like it."
Of course neither team was happy with the way the post-game celebration unfolded following the ’06 championship match. After senior guard Derrick "D.J." Rivera, now a St. Joseph’s University freshman, hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer, he walked over to the Roman Catholic side of the court and started celebrating in front of the fans, who had been taunting him throughout the game. Within seconds, several fans starting throwing empty soda cups and water bottles onto the court. Some spectators leapt over the press table and rushed the court, while both teams, as well as cheerleaders, were present. Police were on the scene, with additional officers called in, to clear the gym, while the teams were sent to their respective locker rooms.
A half-hour after the game ended, there were still six police cars outside and a helicopter circling the Tom Gola Arena on the La Salle University campus. As a result of that incident, Masco also is running the show Jan. 5 at St. Joe’s Prep, Jan. 7 at Kennedy-Kenrick and at the Jan. 12 home game against Cardinal O’Hara.
"We want to try and go 4-0 for him," senior Rick Jackson, whose rebound and two foul shots with six seconds left sealed the latest victory, said. "[Masco] coached me my freshman year."
Masco, who also serves as a varsity assistant, has coached a majority of the players over the last few years. He credited seniors Mark Hatty, Wali Hepburn, Jardine and Jackson for playing big leadership roles in his varsity debut.
In his final year of high school and the winner of two Catholic League titles, Jardine has no problem filling the big shoes.
"I am the leader," he said. "It’s my last year. I want to have fun."
Once the game ended, Arrigale was allowed in the gym and was all smiles as he saw his players stream out of the locker room. He listened to the game online at his store, C&D; Appliance at 1121 S. Eighth St. Scholastic Play-by-Play Network was in the building providing coverage. Athletic Director Chip Reitano also phoned in regular updates.
After 32 minutes of action, Reitano seemed pleased with the way the afternoon unfolded.
"Everything went smoothly," he said. "It’s much more relaxing after you get a win. I thought Roman Catholic and Neumann-Goretti did a great job of doing what they’re supposed to do."
The two schools will face-off one more time 3:30 p.m. Jan. 26 at Roman Catholic. The match, once again without fans in the stands, will be shown on CN8.
