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When talking Philly college basketball, the La Salle Explorers traditionally have struggled in the headliner department. But a quick glance at the Olney-based squad’s current 14-6 record shouts out for some well-deserved attention, as the team finished the 2010-11 season three games below .500.
Part of the current success can be attributed to two former standouts from Ss. Neumann-Goretti High School, 1736 S. 10th St., Earl Pettis, a 6-foot-5 senior guard, and Tyreek Duren, a 6-foot sophomore guard. Pettis, from the 1500 block of South 15th Street, is averaging 14.8 points per contest. Duren, who calls Yeadon home, is filling up the stat sheets with his well-balanced contributions of 14.1 points, 4.5 assists and 1.8 steals each game. After playing George Washington University in a home bout that happened after press time, the duo is westward bound for a Saturday afternoon tussle at Duquesne University.
Traveling slightly south on Broad Street, the college basketball spotlight is shining on Temple University senior guard and co-captain Ramone Moore and his 13-5 Owls, who played in Charlotte yesterday after press time prior to a Saturday home matchup against St. Joseph’s University. The 6-foot-4 South Philadelphia High, 2101 S. Broad St., product currently is tied with St. Joe’s Carl Jones as the Atlantic 10’s leading scorers with 17.2 points per contest.
The talk of the top teams in the nation bounces the conversation to Upstate New York’s Syracuse University. The 21-1 Orange, formerly the No. 1 selection in both national polls, ranks No. 3. Locals Antonio “Scoop” Jardine, a Neumann-Goretti grad, and Dion Waiters, of Southern, are two key sparks of their mark. Jardine, of the 1800 block of South Taylor Street, has started all 22 games and is contributing 8.5 points and 5 assists to the winning formula. Waiters, a 6-foot-4 sophomore guard, is adding 12.5 points off the bench.
Heading south to Atlantic Coast Conference country, fellow Neumann-Goretti alum Tony Chennault has started all 19 games for the 11-8 Wake Forrest men’s basketball team. The 6-foot-2 sophomore guard from the city’s Logan section is chipping in 10.6 points and close to three rebounds and three assists per night. Yesterday’s Florida State tipoff occurred after press time.
The news isn’t as upbeat at Central Jersey’s Rider University where the Broncs have struggled out of the gates with a 7-14 mark. Another former Saint, however, isn’t letting the results stall his individual performance. Daniel Stewart, a 6-foot-7 sophomore forward from Upper Darby, is tied for a team best 12.9 points average and 6.9 rebounds a game for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference squad.
Staying in the MAAC, North Jersey’s St. Peter’s College and Saints’ alum Lamin Fulton, a 5-foot-9 guard from the 1300 block of South 29th Street, is making solid rookie contributions for the Peacocks, as his 9.9 points a game ranks third-best. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said in the win column, as the team is 4-16.
The last stop on this college basketball tour focuses on the University of Texas at El Paso women’s basketball team. Opposing squads are having a tough time figuring out how to stop the 16-2 squad and Neumann-Goretti grad Gloria Brown, of 18th and McKean streets, has a lot to do with it. The 6-foot-2 senior forward is averaging 11.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and a Conference-USA-best 2.8 blocks per game and .550 field-goal percentage. Earlier this month, she was named the conference’s Player of the Week after averaging 12.5 points, 11 rebounds, 5 blocks and 2.5 steals in two contests.
Contact Editor Bill Gelman at bgelman@southphillyreview.com or ext. 121.
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