The Penn Quakers and their believers like to think that this program is the standard for the rest of the Ivy League.  They acknowledge that Princeton and them have a great rivalry but they truly believe that the Ivy League title is theirs to win every year.  After all the Quakers do have a winning record against every team from the Ivy since it’s inception at the beginning of the last century including those hated Tigers of Princeton.  And by a large margin most of the time.  It does not matter who is playing for the Quakers or for that matter who is coaching.  After all the legendary Chuck Daly was the one who really got the ball rolling with his recruiting and defensive pressure that almost got this team to an elite 8 a few years back after an undefeated Ivy season.  After last year’s loss to the Tigers for the league title there was some change in the air as Coach Fran Dunphy was hired away to be the assistant to John Chaney at rival Temple.  This will not settle well with the Quakers who do not like the Owls.  Their is extra motivation this year to win the Ivy and the Big 5.  All that matters is somehow, someway this program will prevail and then they can start worrying about knocking off another giant in the Big Dance.  It does not hurt their argument that their stomping grounds are the Palestra which is akin to Wrigley Field in baseball.  This gym has seen more college basketball games played it in than any other and the Quakers have a distinct advantage when they play there.  The Quakers did not lose in their ‘ancient gym’ last year and probably won’t again this year.  

Realistically the Quakers strength is in its ability as a team to keep coming at you.  Sort of like North Carolina’s Dean Smith, Coach Daly (who is coming back from his trip to the Pros) will run an 11 or 12 man rotation at you sending fresh people who were all pretty much the same level of talent at you.  Yes, a true Marxist system where everyone shares playing time almost equally to the same effect.  Unlike the Tar Heels, the Quakers did this because they have some weaknesses in their talent level that had to be covered with this kind of rotation.  They do not have diaper dandies as the 13th guy on the roster.  And they do not have too many players ready to storm the NBA and who will probably get more PT there like Smith’s Tar Hell roster.   Dunphy was a master at covering weaknesses with this kind of rotation.  For instance arguably the best (arguably because you could say that for about ten guys) player and team leader Ernie Beck is a very gifted performer who mans one of the wing positions.  He used to be the dominant inside player for the Quakers.  The problem was that this hometown kid is only six four, 190 pounds.  His transition to the wing has went about as smoothly as can be expected though this lack of quickness can be a disadvantage.  His inside ability is an advantage, however, especially on the offensive end where Beck uses his size and strength to post up smaller defenders.  He can be dominated by quicker guys on the defensive end, however and is still adjusting to the three point shot.  Still, Beck is one of the all-time great gamers and will do whatever it takes to produce and he is one heck of a competitor.  He led the team in scoring and rebounds both by quite a large margin and has been the go to guy throughout his stellar career in Philly.  He is also a good passer and may be the best jump shooter on the team.  His value to the Quakers cannot be overshadowed as he almost singlehandedly put this team on the national map.  He averaged over 20 a game as a sophomore and though he dropped back a little last year (primarily due to more support) he still easily led the team in scoring with over 18 a game.  Beck has been part of the big three of Philly basketball since he first put on shoes for the Quakers alongside Paul Arizin of Nova and Tom Gola of LaSalle though he does not get the same national recognition as these two preseason All-Americans.  The Philly fans and especially the Penn faithful know how valuable Beck is and legend might not be a strong enough word to describe him. 

At the post position the Quakers were dealt a huge blow early last year when sophomore stud John Engels tore up his knee.  Engels is probably the most talented true low post performer on the roster and at 6’8 220 has some size.  This Staten Island kid showed his heart by actually coming back and playing a few games down the stretch when Beck was hurt but his injury caused Dunphy to really spread out his bench.  He should be back at full speed to begin the year but he will not be eating up the amount of minutes he was before the injury.  Daly will rotate a group of guys in with not much size as he did not have the seven footers many of his brethren coaches in Philly seem to have falling off street corners.   His constant rotation keeps the other team guessing and uncomfortable.  The two headed junior monster of Ron Haigler and Bob Morse is a good example. Haigler is Mr. Consistent who is the only Quaker who did not miss a game.  He started all 30 games and moved to center when Engels went down.  Haigler is a solid low post scorer who knows how to use his thin frame to get in the paint and cause havoc.  At 6’8 195 he is not a great defender but gets the job done especially positioning against bigger men and using his quickness to get position on the boards.  Still, he gives up too much size down low and though he plays well would be better suited as a four instead of a five, like he has been most of his career.  Haigler is part of the group that helped make the Quakers a national program and giving them the recognition it needed to keep moving up the pack.  He has been huge to this program and though he might not be the most talented he is the Quaker most respected by his teammates and the fans.  Morse is a gifted all-around big man who can do a bit of everything and is a little thicker at 6’8 215.  Both can score, defend and rebound though neither is over 6 foot 8 but in the Ivy that is big enough.  At least it was until they wander outside the friendly confines of the Palestra and into the deeper waters of the post season.  Of course this year the Palestra is hosting the first round of the Big Dance but since is their home court, the Quakers would not be eligible to play there.  The only seniors coming back are up front in Dick Csencsitz and Bart Leach.  The 6’6  and 6’4 studs are bruts on the boards but this duo has been surpassed on the totem pole by that great group of juniors that Daly brought together in Philly. 

The Quakers are talented at the wings led by their superstar Beck.  Dunphy has a plethora of guys who can score and defend from the 2, 3, and even the 4 positions and those positions are almost interchangeable on this team.  Led by the incomparable Beck and junior Tony Price, this group all brings something unique to the table.   Price is a flat-out winner.  He leads by example and his example is how to carry a team when it needs it.  This Bronx kid will do anything to win but is especially big clutch shots.  Price is a bit slow for a wing but gets it done and uses his 6’6 190 frame to his advantage.  He will also play power forward in some of Daly’s unique lineups.  Senior Stan Pawlak is a six foot two wing who can flat score.  Dunphy realized he was a little too small to guard even Ivy League threes so he is attempting to transition him to the two.  Pawlak does most of his scoring inside so that will be interesting and does not defend even threes all that well but man can he score.  Pawlak went to the bench and sat next to his pal Jeff Neuman who had also lost a spot to a younger more athletic player for the Quakers.  That is the Quaker Way.  If you don’t have the goods then you don’t play though seniority does have it’s advantages.  This duo has played together for years with Neuman getting the ball to his buddy on a regular basis from his point position and it is apropos they go out together as offensive options off the bench.  The 6’1 175 pound Altoona Pa product is not exactly Guy Rodgers at the point but he can play, though setting up teammates was never his forte though he seemed to always find Pawlak open in the corners.  Neuman can score though he is not a long-range gunner. He would still be starting but he just got beat out by someone better, especially on the defensive end.     

Maybe the most underrated Quaker was Junior Keven McDonald who started the year stuck on the pine behind Beck and Price and company on the wings.  McDonald is a great shooter who was limited early because of his perceived lack of quickness.  This Jersey kid is not quick but has some size (6’6 220) and is tough and does not mind mixing it up down low.  Dunphy realized how much of a gamer McDonald was and started giving the talented junior more minutes.  He was the designated shooter but can also mix it up down low and is a much better board guy than you might think.  He produced big time down the stretch as a scoring forward and his defense improved dramatically the more time he spent on the court.   

Corky Calhoun may be the definitive Penn player.  This junior is not a huge scorer but does everything else well.  He will guard anyone from the post to the two guard and guard them very well.  He is a terrific team player and can score but usually this unselfish stud just likes to help teammates with passes and screens.  His ability to do anything and everything helped Dunphy with some of his lineup choices. The word that Dunphy likes to use to describe this 6’7 210 pound kid from Wauskegee Illinois is winner.  As in anything he does he wins!  Calhoun was the glue to this team as Dunphy could play him large minutes or small minutes depending on the situation and have him defend anyone on the court.  He is the real deal.   Bob Bigleow is another 6’7 player who gives the Quakers flexibility.  Bigelow can play anywhere and does though in limited and selective minutes.  He is tough as his Boston background can attest and at 215 can throw a little weight around.  Fellow Junior is Phil Hankinson is more of the same but much thinner at 6’8 195.  Both of these cats are moving up from the JV squad where they were the primary forwards and had solid years but are nowhere near the talent of the guys in front of them on the varsity and might not get any minutes.  That might not be the case for the center on the JV from last year.  Junior Matt White brings one thing this team is lacking big time.  Size.  At 6’10 215 this Bethesda Maryland came here as a project and is still developing.  He does eat up space and can block a shot and has every opportunity to play with the Quakers dearth of size. 

The Penn backcourt was more of the same.  Interchangeable parts that fit the system and the situation.  The Quakers usually go by a hierarchy of playing upperclassmen but these guys stepped in and took the torch when a couple of upperclassmen moved on.  Senior John Wideman accepted a Rhodes Scholarship and junior Steve Bilsky got a huge opportunity within the school.   Junior Dave Wohl and Neuman shared the title of point guard and the one thing they had in common was the ability to shoot from mid-range.  Wohl was the starter and the primary ballhandler and is the best distributor on the roster.  Wohl is a 6’2 175 pound Jersey who really knows this game and how to play and is obviously smart as a whip.  Juniors Bobby Willis and Booney Salters will also be in the mix for minutes on the perimeter.  This duo shared the back court on the JV and were quite productive (they did win the Ivy league title).  Willis is 6’2, 180 pound Bronx native and is tough as that implies.  He can score and guard but is best suited for the point as he knows how to run a team.  Salters is much smaller at 5’11 150 but this Malverne New York kid has that special quality that only comes with a nickname like Booney.  He is clutch as they come (he hit four straight free throws to lock up the JV title) and will push for minutes.  This group will continue their rotation but Dunphy is bringing in some big time talent to fill the voids left by the departures especially at the two guard.  Senior Howard Dallmar is the celebrity quest for next year as he transfers in from the West Coast (Stanford) where he led his team to national prominence.  Nobody is sure how much he can play but if Dallmar does become eligible even for a small part, this program is in better shape.  After all, he is a former All-American and one of the most intelligent basketball minds in the country.  Oh, and at 6’4 200 this San Francisco native is the prototypical two guard who can definitely teach Beck and Pawlak a few tricks about the position, whether he plays or not.  One other former Quaker is returning to the fold as well.  Senior Frank ‘Chink’ Crossin is returning from military service and will compete for minutes at the two as well.  This 6’1 165 pounder from Luzerne PA (he was the all-time prep scorer in the state when he graduated what seems like a decade ago) can flat shoot.  He got his nickname for the sound the ball makes when it goes through the hoop after all (sorry racists) so he will bring some long-range firepower to the team once the rust wears off.  He has not played in 3 years but he could help this team in an area they have not kept up with the Tigers in which is long-range shooting. 

The system that is in place for the Qaukers is phenomenal with players coming on to a great program and learning the craft through one of the best under class programs in the country.  Their JV squad is sensational dominating the Ivy, which is a huge deal in this league.  But alas as even the great John Wooden says he would choose talent over all the other attributes that make up a basketball player every time.  And in the end the likes of Dollar Bill and company down in Jersey are just a bit better!  At least for now.  But if some of the new recruits are as good as advertised and the incoming veterans are allowed to play and have not lost their touch, the Quakers could take home yet another Ivy League Crown.  I would not bet against the only league in the country that does not have a conference tournament at least having one more game at the end of the year to decide the title.  The Quakers and Tigers are that close.  And if that game is played in the palace that is the Palestra (as it has been done in the past) the Quakers might once again cause some 3 or 4 seed some great consternation when they see Penn as their opponent in the brackets.