The great Tom Gola is as complete of a basketball player as there is in the country.  He does it all.  He handles the ball like a point guard and always is unselfish and hitting his teammates with great passes for easy baskets.  On the other hand he is 6 foot 7 and a terrific post up player.  Gola is also one of the best rebounders in the country.  He is never out of position and knows how to use his body and grab the ball at it’s highest point.  Gola goes into his final year already a legend in Philly but wants to be able to lead this program into a big run on the national stage.  He has done this before and with much less support around him then he has now.  Like the greats in San Francisco and Cincinnati, his best ability is making his teammates better.   He sacrificed many stats for the team but might get the biggest kick out of being one of the best defensive shut down guys in the league.  Oh and did I forget to say that he can score a little!  He has a great mid-range game and can drill fifteen footers all day.  The ‘figure 8’ was meant for him as he is in constant motion and can finish off the pass or with the ball.  Gola is also one of the best inside players in the game when he sets up down low and nobody grabs a board over one of his screen outs.  Basically he is the perfect basketball player that could easily average 20 and 15 and 5 (he did average 15, 9.5 and 4.0) if he wasn’t such a team player.  ‘Mr. All-Around’ is all about winning and though he might not get the pub outside Philly he is every bit as dynamic as Magic or Bird.  He is without peer on the East Coast and earned his third team All-American recognition though many feel (especially in Philly) he should have been first team.  Gola was born in Philly and will probably die here and if he wanted to run for mayor of the City of Brotherly Love he would probably win in a landslide.  How La Salle is Gola?  Well, he actually went to La Salle High School to prep for playing for the Explorers!  

Sophomore Lionel Simmons is another potential superstar on a team filled with talent.  To put it bluntly Simmons is a great scorer.  When the Explorers need a basket they almost always take a ride on the ‘L Train.’  Simmons can post up smaller guys (he is a 6’7 220 two guard after all) or take big guys outside and use his quickness to blow by them.  He is also a terrific board guy who uses his athleticism to grab easy boards.  He is a sleek and athletic and oh so fast.  Simmons has a good perimeter shot but is best using his skills in the open court.  Simmons knows how to play especially off the ball and playing next to Gola makes him better.  Like Gola, Simmons was born and bred in Philly and loves this town.  He was already legendary from his high school days when he led South Philly to a city title but when he chose the Explorers over some big league suitors he became a Philly Icon.  His coming to this small little school combined with Gola being here put high expectations on this program and they have stepped up.  But nobody knew about it after their early exit in the Big Dance last year after getting a low 13 seed though they dominated the Metro Atlantic.  His ability to score in bunches allowed Gola to become the more complete player that he loves to be.  This duo might be the best pair of wings in the country playing together but if a tree falls in Philly does anybody hear? 

Juniors Michael Brooks is the third superstar on this team that sometimes does not get his due.  Brooks is a superb forward who has tremendous overall skills.  On another team he would have been the man but this hard working warrior accepted his role as a key part of Explorers finding their way through the college basketball landscape.  The La Salle program have so many great players who can all do everything that you can’t match up with all of them and one of them is going to get a matchup they can take advantage of.  Oh and they can all run.  Brooks may be tough as nails but can also move.  Another Philly High School great Brooks has a good midrange game (solid jumper up to 18 feet) but is more effective pounding for shots.  He is a natural leader who earns respect with his work ethic.  He is a mystery off the court who does not seek the attention of the media and actually goes out of his way to avoid them.  Brooks is friendly with the fans but does not let anyone get too close.  Still, he is beloved and was one of the great unsung players in the country. The thing about Brooks is that he a thin 220 and though he plays down low and can bang his body is not made for the constant pounding you endure in the paint.  He is more of a Euro type player who can run the court and uses angles and agility to get to his spot and score.  As a matter of fact, this recent summer he took a trip with a bunch of All-Stars to France and Switzerland and when he got there, he reveled in the culture.  This TSOP kid (Have You Seen Her?) loved the laid-back lifestyle of Europe and hopes to travel back especially since the trip was cut short due to an injury on his knee that he had to rehab at home.  He was a changed man after this trip though he still had that marvelous passion on the court that has defined his career.  He left the team after his injury and was AWOL for a few games which left Leoffler and his teammates kind of freaking out because Brooks was such a hard worker and team player.   He figured something out either by work or by prayer and returned after only missing a handful of games.  His comeback was a huge lift for the team as they missed his presence on the court and off.  As good as Gola and Simmons are they are nowhere near the low post options Brooks is.  He dominates games with his ability to post up bigger guys and embarrass them with step back jumper or surgical turnaround.  Not quite as athletic as he was before the injury it might have helped Brooks as he became more of the dominant low post option this team needed to rotate their figure 8 around.  He was every bit as essential to the success of this team but sadly he did not get the glory of his teammates.  Missing those few games dropped him down to second team All-MAAC which though that seems trivial was a big deal.  He had similar stats to his teammates and his importance can only be exemplified by the fact that Brooks was voted team captain by his teammates. 

The guy that replaced Brooks (if that is the right term) had been replaced the year before by Brooks after he too suffered a knee injury.  He came back this year after missing the second half of last year and was noticeably a different player.  Senior to be Ken Durrett is unique in that he is not a Philly kid but is actually from Pittsburgh and has that steel workers’ mentality ingrained in him.  He was nowhere near as quick and his incredible ability to get up and down the court and finish was not quite the same. Durrett is very similar to Brooks as played a lot of post this year which he was a little undersized for but he held up well.  Well for the most part.  Durrett did miss a few games with that tricky knee issue. He missed games on a few occasions but after each absence came back and played.  Loeffler has the luxury of letting Durrett miss games when his knee was bothering him due to this team’s great depth.  He was not quite the same sort of like Brooks but still contributed like his sidekick down low.  Of course, that all changed when Brooks went down and Durrett showed his infamous drive and contributed some huge games to this team’s success.  Not as thick as Brooks at only 190 but similar in that both are 6’7 and wiry strong and love to flush it down whenever they get the chance.  Either way you slice it one of these two guys brought it every night for the Explorer at the four spot.  Durrett and Brooks are also part of the 67 club for the Explorers.  Strangely there is a slew of players on the roster who are all six foot seven.  Gola, Simmons, Durrett, Brooks, and senior George Sutor are all the same height yet bring many different skills to the table for the team from Philly.  All though can hit the ‘Southwest Philly Floater’ which has become the calling card for this team after Simmons used it win a big game early on versus rival St. Joe’s. 

Maybe the most important Explorers were the unsung players who accepted their roles even though most could be stars at other programs.  Center Larry Foust has always been a glue type guy playing in the shadow of Gola the great but relishes doing the dirty work this team needed to succeed as they did.  Foust is a true big man who took pressure off from the forwards to do their regular job.  Another Philly High School product Foust can guard big centers with his great strength and know how down low.  A solid board guy, Foust sets the screens that let these guys get open.  He loves the high post game and was just huge for this team.  He could be the best player on the team as he does all of the little things to win.  He can also score in the lane with a variety of clever moves.  He is all of six nine and knows how to use his size well.  Sure he gets some easy looks off some great passes form his teammates but he can also get the job done when he gets the ball.  It was ultra-important that the Explorers have someone who could match up with the great big men of not only the MAAC but the entire country for this team to have a chance to get to the next level.  Foust who does not mind having a good time off the court was that guy and did his job well.  As good as all of those wings were the most important La Salle player was Larry Foust.  

Point guard was the tough one for Loeffler.  Senior Larry Cannon was the ipso facto choice who got the ball and ran with it.  This Philly product has all of the tools would be a superstar on a lesser team and can really light it up.  How good of a scorer is he?  Well why at Abraham Lincoln High in he scored more points than any kid in Philly high school history who does have a nickname named after a ‘Stilt.’  Pretty big company for sure but that is nothing compared than playing next to Gola the Great for the last three years.  No matter what he does. and his sophomore year he averaged twenty points a game, he does not compare to the legend at least in the Philly hearts.  Transitioning to point guard is not like riding a bike but what made it easier for Cannon is his ability to pass the ball.  Sure, he is a scorer first and foremost but he also had superb ballhandling skills and really sees the court well.  His ability to distribute the ball to his teammates on the vaunted Explorer break was paramount to the team’s success. In the constantly moving offense that Loeffler implemented there is really no point guard and to be honest the ball goes through Gola for back door cuts often so Cannon’s assist numbers were not crazy high.  He fit this offense well and did get his fair share of points as well as helping on the boards (the Explorers even for their lack of a true seven-footer were a great rebounding team as every one of the starting five can flat board).  The one weakness Cannon has is being able to guard quick point guards and with no other starter really having that ability like some other teams with big point guards who can also run like gazelles (think Georgetown with Sleepy Floyd who torched him for 37 last year).  Heck, it was even difficult for Cannon against some of the MAAC waterbugs.  He is just not quick enough to guard a Calvin Murphy though he has the same warrior mentality as the Niagara great.  Not befitting his name, Cannon is not a great long-range shooter.  He is a no holds barred type that probably tries to run over more guys on the way to the hoop (King of Charge) than anyone in the league and is as about as physical of a guard as there is.  Still, this tough kid has got to get better on defense or he will be moved to shooting guard at the next level which will be a hard fit as he is not that athletic even though he has the size at 6’5.  And no way is he rotating over to the two now with Simmons on the team.  To be able to give up some of his scoring for the betterment of this team he so loves shows you what kind of a team player he is even if the point guard shoes do not always exactly fit.  Speaking of shoes, Cannon had to start wearing specially made sneakers to help with his chronic Phlebitis condition that causes intense pain.  He only missed a few games last year but this is a situation to monitor in the upcoming season and Loeffler supposedly brought in several highly rated point guards to not only battle to be his backup and for the future but just in case something happens to Cannon.  After all this team is built to win this year and Loeffler is not taking any chances. 

With Cannon’s condition on defense Loeffler tried to get some more quickness and defense on the court.  Seniors Jack George and Fatty Taylor platooned at the backup point guard with the main responsibility of stopping quick guards and of course getting their friends the ball.  They can both do this well.  And obviously gives Loeffler options.  George is an old school point who is a good leader and does everything well except scoring.  This DC Kid has been a solid contributor for three years hear and gives it all he got and is a great team man who is a nifty set-up guy and defender.  He was the primary backup most of the season but is not as quick as Taylor and did lose some minutes to the junior as the season progressed.  Taylor is a solid defender and a great teammate who keeps the team loose with his antics and giving the young guys nicknames.  He did not play as much as he would like until Cannon missed some games and then showed his worth as a point guard (3).  How many other programs have a guy like Taylor as their third option at a position. Heck, he would be the starting point guard on most teams as he showed in the games Cannon missed. He also got some time at the two guard as he is too good not to play but there are many guys in this program you can say that about.   

The Explorers use their bench in a productive way especially considering most guys don’t get many minutes behind the studs unless of course there are injuries.  Durrett is definitely the sixth man but the rest have distinct roles.  Loeffler has a deep group of subs that he used for specific duties For instance Joe Bryant might be a superstar on another team but here he is the athletic wing who can score and defend off the bench. ‘Jellybean’is an offensive machine who can really light it up and runs the court like a gazelle and man can he throw it down.  He is big for this team (six nine) but plays a similar style as the rest of the great wings.  He might not have played much this year but the injuries forced him into duty and he showed he can play.  He is a tremendous athlete who should get more minutes but there are rumors he might leave early as a hardship case.  The Explorers sure hope this kid does not leave for the bright lights of the pros (in the US or overseas) as they need his scoring and athleticism off the bench.  Loeffler has several others chomping at the bit on the wing if Jellybean does go pro including seniors Hubie Marshall and Bernie Williams (nope not the CF) and sophomore Steve Black.  This trio is good but none of them can match Bryant’s athleticism or size.  They can and will score and of course they can all run.  As for inside depth, Loeffler has four seniors biding for time who all are vertically challenged.  The aforementioned Sutor at 6’7 is the biggest of the bunch that includes Frank Corace (6’6) Norm Grekin and Jackie Moore who are both 6’5.  These guys were pushed to the end of the bench but still produced in their limited minutes.  Junior Donn Wilber has the size this team needs at 7’0 but is rail thin (210) and has been a project on the JV since he left Radnor Pennsylvania two years ago.  He got moved up to varsity when Brooks went down but was overmatched and needs to step up if he is going to even beat out those much smaller seniors next year. 

The Ls Salle Explorers have proved in the past they are one of the best programs in the country.  Coach Ken Loeffler’s team dominated the Metro Atlantic winning the regular season and running through the conference tourney.   All of this got them a 13 seed and a first round matchup with the Cincinnati Bearcats as Gola got to go toe to toe with the Big O.  The Explorers did not win that game and have decided after their low seed to finally join their Philly brothers and have joined the A-10.  The hope is to get back on the national map and earn a higher seed if (and when) they go dancing again.  They will still be powerhouses in the East because one thing is for sure the Explorers have as many talented players as any program in the country.