As the buzz of the approaching Holiday season grows, so does the excitement for the annual Big 5 Classic. 

To get excited about the Classic, it is first important to know what it is. The Big Five is an early-season college basketball tournament competition between the six Division I colleges in and around the Philadelphia area — Temple, St. Joseph’s, Villanova, University of Pennsylvania, Drexel, and La Salle. The six schools are divided into two pods: Pod 1 featuring Drexel, La Salle and Temple and Pod 2 including Penn, St. Joe’s and Villanova. Each team plays the other two teams from their pod at their individual campus arenas. Then, all teams participate in the Toyota Big 5 Classic at the Wells Fargo Center. The first seed in each pod will compete for the Big 5 championship, the second-place teams in each pod compete for third place, and the third seeds compete for fifth place. 

Drexel men’s basketball’s 5-4 overall record might not be the most ideal, but the team has shown substantial vigor in their more recent games — with their losses only being by a few points. Most notably was their win against Chicago State (83-71), in which players Kobe MaGee and Yame Butler scored an impressive 23 and 20 points. Not a week later, Butler scored a season high 28 points in the game versus Bryant. Yet, it was not enough to defeat the Bulldogs, with the Dragons losing by five points. 

As the countdown to the Big 5 Classic’s tip-off dwindled down, the stadium started to buzz with energy as more and more eager fans entered the arena. Dragons showed their spirit as the student section loudly cheered for the players, drowning out the fleeting cheers of the Quakers’ smaller student section. 

The first half of the game started with Drexel players Victor Panov, MaGee, Jason Drake, Cole Hargrove and Butler taking the court. For the Quakers, players Nick Spinoso, Michelangelo Oberti, Dylan Williams, Sam Brown and Ethan Roberts started the game. 

The ball entered play as the Quakers won the tip off. A basket by Quaker Spinoso marked the first points of the game, however, it was quickly followed by a three from Drexel’s Panov — which caused the traditional Big 5 streamers being thrown onto the court from Drexel’s student section. 

Not five minutes into the first half of the game, Drexel’s Hargrove dunked two baskets, placing him as the lead in Drexel’s scoring. The game is an emphasis on the amazing work Junior forward Cole Hargrove has been showing this season. For the starting half of this season alone, his season highs include the 19 points he put up against Purdue Fort Wayne  on Nov. 25. 

The first half of the game ended in a 30-30 tie.The lead scorer for the Dragons in the first half of the game was a tie between Hargrove and Butler — both with six points. They were followed by Blakeney and MaGee, each of whom had four points. Drexel led in rebounds with a total of 19, seven of which were due to Hargrove. 

Halftime was filled with games and cheers, as well as a stellar performance by the Drexel dance team. With the game tied, anticipation for the next half was high. 

The second half began with a two pointer from Penn player Spinoso, setting the Quakers ahead. However, Drexel quickly closed the gap once again, tying the game. With nine minutes left on the clock, Drexel led with 46 points to Penn’s 38 points. 

The game ended with a score of 60-47, with Drexel coming out as the victor. 

The steady leading scorer for Drexel continued to be Cole Hargrove, who ended the game with 17 points, 13 rebounds, and an assist. He was followed by Kobe MaGee, who had 12 points and five rebounds and two assists and Yame Butler who had 10 points, four rebounds, and two assists. 

The excitement created during the Big 5 tournament has left players and fans alike eager for the next season’s tournament.

“We got a great opportunity to create more exposure for the city of Philadelphia as well as Drexel,” said Coach Zach Spiker. The Classic has created a hum of energy, even during finals, that boosts morale throughout the Drexel campus.

With it being a tightly-contested game and a unique opportunity to play their inter-city rival, Coach Spiker said, “It was a gold jersey game and our guys responded accordingly. It’s an honor to be here and we love being a part of the Big 5.”

The Drexel Dragons took on the La Salle Explorers on Wed. in their first ever Big 5 game, crushing their opponents 73-40 on their home court. The Dragons were fired up and ready for this match, displaying their team chemistry and ferocity from the first minute to the last.

La Salle opened with the first point of the game, but the Dragons quickly answered with Deja Evans, followed closely by Grace O’Neill from behind the arc. In the starting minutes of the game both teams battled for dominance, responding to conceded points with plays of their own. After the first five minutes, the Dragons were able to lock La Salle into their own basket, with an unguarded three from Cara McCormack, and a 10 point battering from Amaris Baker. In their last play, Laine McGurk rolled the ball to half court, where McCormack picked it and scored a three-point buzzer beater to end the quarter.

The Dragons won most of their defensive battles, with Evans rejecting their possessions, all while corralling points and rebounds of her own. Muscling out her opponents, Evans seemingly added to the team’s uncompromising will on the court, along with swift skill and decision  making from McGurk, and McCormack. As a whole, the Dragons showcased easy chemistry, while ending the half up 33-16.

As La Salle became frustratingly behind in score, the Explorers changed their defensive positioning, slowing the Dragons’ scoring tempo down mid-game. In response, the Dragons came right back to pursue La Salle by controlling the speed of play and stopping chaotic attempts of attack, holding them to 14 points while dumping 22 of their own in the third quarter.

After a swift drive to the baseline, Lavin found McGurk, who passed it over to Baker, turning it around and sinking it from the free throw line. La Salle’s defense was unable to stop the quick plays by the Dragons, which broke them down consistently through the second half. Moreover, they were seemingly unable to guard Amaris Baker.

Scoring over 20 points against La Salle, Baker continues her streak of scoring double figures in 13 consecutive games going back to last season. Baker credited her team for her success on the court postgame. “I trust the coaches, the staff, my teammates, and they trust me as well and that gives you confidence going onto the court.” Acknowledging her contributions to the team, Baker went on, “I’ll do whatever they need me to do.”

The emphasis on team connection was certainly displayed when in the final quarter Iriona Gravely and Emilee Jones took to the court for the first time in their collegiate careers. Jones scored a three pointer and a pair of free throws, while Gravely scored two points and took three rebounds off La Salle, outscoring them in the end.

The Drexel Dragons have a difficult match ahead, facing UC Irvine at home on Wed., Nov. 20. UC Irvine was ranked second in the Big West standings, and won the 2023 and 2024 Big West Championships. They have gone 2-1 in their season so far, yielding a loss to New Mexico State. The Dragons have started their season off strong, but have a challenging road ahead of them.

In the Liacouras Center on Nov. 12, the stage was set for a high octane game between two of Philly’s best. The Dragons looked to take a lead in Big 5 group play by beating the Temple Owls on their home court. Temple had bested the Dragons in 15 of their last 16 meetings, with Drexel’s lone win coming in 2006. Unfortunately, this trend will continue for now, as Drexel fell to the Owls, 69-61. 

Drexel opened the season scoring an average of 84 points per game, and while they did not achieve that total this game, it is evident that they are a great scoring team. Leading scorer, Kobe MaGee, contributed 17 points during the game, with fellow guard Yame Butler giving the Dragons 13. Yame was also active on the glass, grabbing five rebounds, with four of those being offensive and getting a team high two steals. Cole Hargrove poured in 15 points to go with his 12 rebounds, including seven offensive rebounds, being a terror on both ends of the court. Victor Panov contributed eight rebounds, in addition to his five points. Panov was active on both ends of the floor, playing some solid defense on Temple’s forwards despite being in foul trouble for most of the second half. The scoring for Drexel is certainly there. Outside of these four, however, Drexel saw little production on the offensive end. 

The game opened with each team trading buckets. For Temple, Jamal Mashburn Jr. was the guy to watch, averaging 25.5 points per game. Early on, however, sophomore guard Zion Stanford took over, scoring the Owl’s first 10 points. On the other side of the ball, Drexel’s Cole Hargrove made his impact early, with some nice post moves, and a monster slam, bringing him to eight points. His defensive presence stalled Temple’s offense for most of the first half, causing multiple misses at the basket and becoming an overall deterrence inside the paint. 

The non-Hargrove minutes were killer for the Dragons midway through the first half, as they turned to freshman forward Clem Edomwonyin for some backup center minutes with a platoon of smaller players around him. This stretch saw Temple take advantage of a lack of physicality and experience in the paint, and the Dragons found themselves fighting from behind. Stanford continued to put on a show for the Owls, scoring 19 in the first half. 

The Drexel offense struggled for long stretches at a time. MaGee was slow to make an impact on this game, scoring his first point with about eight minutes to go in the first half. Despite this, his passing, ability to draw double teams and overall savviness was able to get his teammates open looks. Butler and Hargrove kept Drexel steady in the game with 11 and eight points respectively in the first half. MaGee eventually got going, finishing the half with eight points as well, coming as a result of some flashy moves, including a highlight crossover that made Temple guard Matteo Picarelli fall over as he glided to the basket for two. MaGee and sophomore guard Shane Blakeney took turns on the Mashburn defensive assignment, holding him to just five points at the half. Temple took a 37-32 advantage into the break, despite some solid defense from Drexel to end the half.

The second half of this one was much like the first. Jason ‘Deuce’ Drake opened up the scoring for Drexel after two and a half minutes of scoreless basketball, but in that time, Drexel had allowed four points to Mashburn and Stanford. Temple continued the scoring, eventually taking a 47-36 lead. Drexel’s offensive sets during this run left a lot to be desired, scoring only four points in four minutes of play. The offense consisted of a lot of iso ball, with a lack of real intention in their play calling causing their movement to become stagnant. The Dragons played at their best in this game when running an offense, setting some high screens, sending guys in motion. 

The offense started to pick up when Hargrove became more involved, scoring his first bucket of the second half about five minutes in, followed by two triples from MaGee, cutting the lead to just seven. After another short Temple run, Hargrove and Blakeney both buried it from long range to cut the lead to three with eight minutes to go.

Despite this, down the stretch, Temple held onto their lead, eventually extending it to a six point lead with two minutes to go. A timely bucket from Blakeney cut it down to just four, but what the Dragons saw as some favorable whistles and a few more made free throws from Mashburn saw Temple hold their lead, pulling out the win in a tight game, 69-61. 

Shooting was an issue all game for Drexel. As a team, the Dragons shot 7/33 from three and 8/12 from the charity stripe. Temple shot 21/31 from the free throw line, the disparity feeling especially killer down the stretch. Drexel’s halfcourt offense looked way too slow for long periods at a time. Coach Spiker will definitely need to shore up the Dragons’ offensive sets before the next game. Drexel employed a 2-3 zone defense a few times in the second half, and for the most part, it worked — hopefully a sign of a reliable alternate defensive look moving forward.

The breakout player of Drexel’s opening contest, Horace Simmons, played just three minutes tonight, while 7’1” center Ralph Akuta did not log any minutes. It would have been nice to see both of them get a bit more run tonight, seeing how they could have benefitted from more length on the court. The bench play tonight was less than ideal, shooting a combined 3-18 from the field. Drexel has continued to experiment with different solutions to the point guard option, trying out the trio of Blakeney, Reed and Drake as ball carriers, but still have yet to find the production they are looking for at this position through three games. 

The Dragons now look onto their next game, with another Big 5 pod game in their sights. This time the Dragons face a 3-0 La Salle University squad on Saturday, at the Daskalakis Center. The Dragons are looking to defend home court, and advance to 1-1 in pod play with the Big 5 classic tournament on  horizon!

Fall sports have officially come to an end. The 2024 season offered mixed results for the men’s soccer, women’s soccer and field hockey teams. In case you missed the games, here is a rundown of how all three teams did. 

Men’s Soccer

The second half of the men’s soccer season was much better than the first half as the team went from 8th place to 2nd place in the CAA conference. However, the team suffered a disappointing 2-0 loss to UNCW on Nov. 10th in the CAA semifinals. It marks the team’s first loss at Vidas since Sept. 6, 2022. Overall, the Dragons had a great season where several players shined. 

Overall record: 9-6-2, 5-2-1 in CAA conference

Player Spotlight: 

Dominick Bachstein had a standout season, earning him Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Week in early October. He finished his final collegiate season as one of the top goal-scorers in the nation. He ended with 30 points – the highest point performance by any Drexel player since 2002, when the team joined the conference. 

Patrick Short completed his graduate season with five goals and 10 assists for 20 points across 15 matches and 1,221 minutes. He ended the season against Charleston, where he mastered a five-point performance with two goals and an assist. He was given CAA’s Co-Midfielder of the Year. 

Colin Davis finished his season as a selected player for the All-CAA Second Team. In his 1,193 minutes of playing, he contributed two goals, an assist, but really shone in his defensive playing. He contributed to Drexel’s defense as they held opponents to 24 goals this season. 

Gavin Carmichael was selected for the All-Rookie team after his successful rookie season, in which he played in 13 matches for a total of 1,174 minutes of playing time, as well as scored two goals (most notably the game winning goal in Drexel’s defeat of Temple 2-0). 

Omar Jallow was also selected to play on the All-Rookie team. In his 722 minutes of play this season, he succeeded in scoring three goals and tallying one assist. 

Women’s Soccer

The second half of the women’s soccer season was rough, as the team’s season ended with a loss to Stony Brook. For the 2024 season, Drexel came in 12th place in the CAA standings, and they missed the CAA tournament. 

Overall record: 4-9-4, 2-5-3 in CAA conference

Player Spotlight: Jess Castornia was named Drexel Dragons of the Week after her game-winning goal at Hampton (2-1). 

Women’s Field Hockey

Women’s Field Hockey had a very successful season, posting a nine-game winning streak and were a perfect 6-0 against CAA opponents. These key victories led them to be first in the CAA conference and ranked number 16 in a Nov. 10 NCAA poll. During this season, head coach Denise Zelenak earned her 300th career win as well as winning CAA Coach of the Year. Despite their success, the team lost to Monmouth 2-1 in the CAA semifinals. 

Overall record: 14-5, 6-0 in CAA conference

Player Spotlight: 

Valentine Van Hellemont won the CAA Player of the Year, the first player to do so since 2010. This follows her 2023 CAA Rookie Player of the Year award. She finished the regular season leading the team in goals and points, with 11 goals and 22 points. 

Pien Elsen was awarded CAA Defensive Player of the Year, the first time a Dragon has won this award since 2009. Drexel defense was ranked first in the conference and 13th in the nation in goals, and Elsen was the leader behind this. She also shined offensively, scoring five goals and with five assists this season, Elsen was also named to the All-CAA First Team.  

Alongside Van Hellemont and Elsen, graduate transfer student Anna Castaldo earned All-CAA First Team honors. She was second on the team in terms of goals (9) and ranks sixth in the conference in points (20). 

Goalie Alana Poole earned recognition as All-CAA Second Team as well as All-CAA Rookie Team. Only a freshman, Poole is at the top of the CAA in win-loss percentage (third in the nation the nation), as well as goals against average (fourth in the nation). 

Coach Denise Zelenak was named CAA Coach of the Year after leading the team to a perfect 6-0 season in CAA play and place as top seed in the CAA Championship. Overall, the team finished 14-4 during the regular season. Zelenak also reached her 300th career win and ranks in the top 10 D1 victories among coaches who are still active. 

The Big 5 Classic returns to the Wells Fargo Center this December, with bragging rights for the top basketball school in Philadelphia once again on the line. This will be the second season Drexel men’s team will participate, following a thrilling upset win in the Big Classic against Villanova. The six schools all had very different offseasons, and a mix of returning players and incoming transfers could make a huge impact in the battle for Philadelphia. Here is The Triangle’s 2024 Big 5 preview.

Drexel Dragons

The Dragons are off to a 2-0 start as they enter Big 5 pod play, something that few prognosticators would have assumed given the fact that Drexel had to face Colgate in their first Division I matchup of the season. Drexel’s lineup is largely unrecognizable, and the aesthetic of the playstyle is massively changed as well. The strengths of this Drexel team lie in their talented guard play, size in the backcourt and three point shooting.

Led by the trio of Yame Butler, Kobe Magee and Shane Blakeney, Drexel men’s basketball head coach Zach Spiker has a wealth of scorers who are athletic and have the physical abilities to play multiple positions. 

The Dragons have also excelled defensively thus far. With the exception of Deuce Drake and Josh Reed at point guard, the other eight players who made an appearance in Drexel’s impressive win over Colgate offer tremendous length and versatility that allowed them to torment the Raiders on the perimeter and near the basket. Cole Hargrove in particular has impressed as the starting center, effectively disrupting Colgate’s best player, Jeff Woodward, all night long.

Drexel’s weakness currently lies at the point guard position where they have been unable to find production. In Big 5 play, Spiker will have to get creative to get the most out of this position, whether that means a change in who runs the point or something to the scheme.

La Salle Explorers

The Explorers, who were predicted to come in last in the preseason coaches poll, look significantly different from how they appeared last season. Head coach Fran Dunphy is a local legend who commands respect for his 35 year career coaching basketball within Philadelphia, but it appears like few predict it to be a prosperous season for La Salle. 

The Explorers lost their two best players in Khalil Brantley and Jhamir Brickus, and much of their supporting cast also left via the transfer portal. Even so, the Explorers brought in a strong class of transfers, headlined by Jahlil White and Corey McKeithan who are both averaging over 15 points per game. 

La Salle has opened their season with two wins over American and Lafayette, and will square off against Cornell before taking on Drexel on Nov. 16.

Pennsylvania Quakers

After a disappointing 11-18 season and second to last place finish in the Ivy League standings, UPenn has ground to cover in the Big 5. Despite a 2-0 start to the season, both wins for the Quakers have only been one-point margins against lesser teams, as they beat NJIT 58-57, and Maryland-Eastern Shore 85-84. Last season, Penn went 1-2 in Big 5 play, upsetting Villanova 76-72, but falling to both Saint Joseph’s, and LaSalle in overtime at last year’s classic. 

Head Coach Steve Donahue is in year 10 with the Quakers, where he’s led them to a 125-111 record, but since the 2020-21 season, where the Ivy League chose to cancel the season amidst concerns with COVID-19 the program has only had one winning season. 

The Quakers brought back sophomore guard Sam Brown and senior forward Nick Spinoso, with both averaging double figure points through the first two games of 2024-25. Additionally, the Quakers brought in former Patriot League rookie of the year, Ethan Roberts, who transferred from Drake, after missing all of last season due to injury. Roberts has led the Quakers in scoring so far, with 15 points against NJIT and a 23 point double-double against Maryland-Eastern Shore. 

The Quakers face off against Lafayette on Tuesday night, before back to back Big 5 matchups against Saint Joseph’s and Villanova on Friday and next Tuesday. 

Saint Joseph’s Hawks

The Saint Joseph’s Hawks won their 21st Big 5 Classic last December, defeating the Temple Owls 74-65. The Hawks finished the 2023-24 season with a 21-14 record, and was the only school undefeated in Big 5 games, as they defeated both UPenn, and then #18 ranked Villanova. After wins over 8-seeded George Mason and 1-seeded Richmond in the A-10 tournament, the Hawks fell to VCU in the semifinals. 

No Philadelphia school saw less roster turnover than Saint Joseph’s, as arguably their top three players from last season returned to the Hawks for 2024-25. Head Coach Billy Lange, now in year six with the school, has led the team to a 1-1 start, with a win over Navy and a loss to Central Connecticut State. Last year’s A-10 Rookie of the Year, Xzayvier Brown, who excelled for the Hawks on both sides of the court, averaging the second most points and most steals. Last year’s top scorer Erik Reynolds II, a 2x All-A-10 team member, opened this season with a 29 point performance against Navy, previewing what the guard can bring. Saint Joseph’s also retains their top big-man, Rasheer Fleming, who is a regular double-double threat, and a menace to defenders. 

Saint Joseph’s opens Big 5 play Tuesday night at the Hagan Arena against Villanova, before going on the road Friday night to play UPenn at the Palestra. 

Temple Owls

The Owls 2023-24 regular season was nothing to write home about, going 16-20 and finishing 11th in the AAC regular season standings. Temple entered the AAC tournament amidst a betting investigation and a team with the odds stacked against them. After taking down UTSA and upsetting SMU in the first two rounds, the Owls defeated the number 3 seed in the conference, Charlotte, and number 1 seed, Florida Atlantic, before falling to UAB in the championship game. 

Head Coach Adam Fisher returns for his second season in Philly after previously serving as an assistant coach at Miami, and an associate head coach for Penn State. This spring, after last year’s top three scorers (Hysier Miller, Jordan Riley and Jahlil White) transferred out, the Owls made a splash landing former University of New Mexico guard, Jamal Mashburn. 

Mashburn, the son of the former NBA All-star with the same name, is a two-time All-Mountain West Conference team member, and averaged over 17 points per game in his three years at UNM. In the first two games of the season, where the Owls defeated both Sacred Heart and Monmouth, Mashburn scored 26 and 25 points respectively, shooting 64.5% from the field, and 72.7% from three. Aside from Mashburn, Temple retained 6 ’10 ” forward Steve Settle, who has taken on a bigger role with the team this season, averaging 16.5-9.0-5.0 in the team’s first two games. Former Penn State guard, Jameel Brown, also joins this new-look Temple squad, and has scored in double figures in both games. 

Temple squares off with Drexel on Tuesday night at the Liacouras center, before going on the road to LaSalle on Nov. 30.

Villanova Wildcats

The class of the Big 5, Villanova is viewed as a contender for greater things than a Big 5 title. That too was the case last year, where ‘Nova entered the season ranked 22nd in the nation. Despite this pedigree, the Wildcats ended up placing sixth in the Big 5, going 0-3 with losses to Penn, St. Joseph’s and, ultimately, Drexel. This was a big blow for Villanova to start the season, one that they would not end up recovering from as their season flamed out and they failed to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012.

Villanova is led by fifth year forward Eric Dixon, who is regarded as one of the best players in the nation, and his supporting cast was filled out with the additions of Wooga Poplar and Jhamir Brickus. 

The ‘Cats are 2-1 through three games, but they sport the worst loss in the Big 5 with a stunning, homecourt defeat to Columbia University. Regardless, Villanova will be the betting favorite to win the Big 5, but if they are unable to execute at a higher level in these meaningful games then they may end up with another disappointing Big 5 showing. 

The Triangle Sports Staff’s Big 5 Predictions:

Paulie Loscalzo: Drexel should win their pod over Temple and La Salle, but I think they lose in the final to Villanova. The Dragons will struggle to beat the Wildcats this year as they don’t have Amari Williams to lock down Eric Dixon anymore, but it is closer than people think.

James Biernat: Saint Joe’s over Drexel.

Janine Gin: Saint Joe’s because they have the least amount of offseason roster turnover
Ava Buckingham: Saint Joe’s.

Raphael Bartell: I think that Drexel will win the Big 5 tournament.

Tori Harrigan: I think Drexel will win the Big 5 tournament. Though most of our veterans have transferred or graduated, we were able to beat Villanova last year. I have confidence we will perform similarly this year!

Sophia Fermin: Drexel will win the Big 5.

Ryan Legg: Drexel vs. St. Joe’s final with Drexel coming out on top.

Jack Margolin: Temple.

PHILADELPHIA – The Drexel Dragons opened their 2024-25 season with a tremendous 95- 43 victory over Georgian Court. Although a win is expected when playing a Division II school, the Dragons showcased a lot of connection and strength for such a young team. 

The CAA coach’s poll ranked Drexel 11th entering this season, after losing eight of their top ten scorers from last season, leaving only junior Kobe Magee and fifth-year Yame Butler. It was Butler who opened the scoring for the Dragons, sinking a three in the first minute, before newly transferred guard Jason Drake took a shot to the face and was taken out with a bloody nose. 

Early in the game, Drexel’s perimeter defense suffocated the Lions, holding them scoreless for the first six minutes. After triples from Butler, Victor Panov, and Magee to open the game, Butler drove through traffic to hit a contested layup, seemingly with ease. 

After two successful free throw attempts from big man Cole Hargrove, Butler found red shirt freshman Horace Simmons, who splashed a shot from beyond the arc, making it 16-0 Drexel. A minute later, coming off a fast break pass from freshman Josh Reed, Simmons again was good from three, starting off what would be an incredible debut for the forward.

Simmons committed to Drexel following a big senior season at local LaSalle College high school, where he averaged 14 points and over seven rebounds a night, good for an All-Catholic League Second Team selection. Last season, the forward red shirted, which was a “mature decision,” in the mind of Drexel Head Coach Zach Spiker. Simmons came off the bench for the Dragons on Monday night, but would finish his first game, one deep shot away from a school record. 

After shooting 2/2 from three in the first half, Simmons proceeded to hit four successful threes in under three minutes. Then, with under five minutes to play, Simmons hit back to back threes on consecutive drives, bringing his total to eight for the day, and six in a row. The 6’6” rookie finished Monday night with a team high 24 points, all coming from his 8/9 shooting from three. Simmons’ eight three-pointers were one off from tying Drexel’s school record of nine, set in 1994 by Mike Wisler.

 “It’s no surprise to any of you who had a chance to come by and watch us in practice,” Spiker said following the game. “Horace is a lights out shooter.”

It was an offseason well spent for Simmons, who credited hard work as the key to finding immense success in his first collegiate game. “[I] got a lot of reps up, that built confidence, so when the game came, I was prepared.” Simmons acknowledged student manager Armaan Sanghavi for helping him get extra practice, and helping him stay ready to go. “Coach is always telling me, stay ready, stay confident, and that’s just what I did.”

It was a strong day of three point shooting for the Dragons, as the team shot 62.5 percent (15/24), the most completed by the team since 2022, when they set a record of 17 against Delaware State. The record book needs updating, however, as a +30 rebound margin and a 21.5 opponent field goal percentage, both broke school records. 

The Dragons face one of their toughest opponents on Saturday, as they face the Colgate Raiders. Colgate enters the season following six straight regular season titles, four straight conference championships, and four straight NCAA tournament appearances, holding the spot as the top dog in the Patriot League. Saturday marks the sixth all-time matchup between the schools, the last in 2003, with Drexel having won all five contests. 

Colgate’s head coach Matt Langel and Drexel’s Zach Spiker have some history of their own, from Spiker’s time as head coach of Army, who are Patriot League rivals with the Raiders. Army and Colgate met ten times under the two coaches, with Spiker holding a 7-3 record. The Patriot League’s preseason poll named Colgate top of the conference once more, making Saturday a season-defining battle for the Dragons.

With the 2024-2025 Drexel men’s basketball season about to tip off, the Dragons have much to prove. After their winningest season in over a decade, the Drexel roster was raided through a combination of outgoing transfers and players running out of their eligibility. Despite this, there are many reasons for optimism in the DAC. Here is all that you need to know for the 2024-2025 Drexel men’s basketball season. 

Who’s out?

When the ball is tipped on Nov. 4th for the home opener against Georgian Court, the starting five will be nearly unrecognizable. Drexel returns just one player who made a single start last season, Senior guard Yame Butler. Gone is three time CAA Defensive Player of the Year Amari Williams, third team All-CAA point guard Justin Moore, and perhaps their most consistent scorer, Luke House. 

Other departures include Lamar Oden Jr., Mate Okros, Lucas Monroe and Jamie Bergens.

Furthermore, projected starting center Garfield Turner will miss the season with a knee injury. 

Head coach Zach Spiker has a reputation of deferring to veteran players, something that he certainly will not have the luxury of doing this season. Spiker does not return a point guard, center, or power forward that saw any notable amount of playing time. 

Who’s in?

For a more in-depth look into the newest recruits, read New on Campus: Get to know Drexel’s newest hoopers! According to Dragonscast.com, the most well regarded recruits that Zach Spiker brought in this offseason were JuCo transfer Kevon Vanderhorst and Pacific Transfer Villiam Garcia Adsten. 

Unfortunately, Vanderhorst suffered a broken wrist and is out indefinitely, although the program expects him to be back at some point this season. Until then, Jason ‘Deuce’ Drake will run point for the Dragons. Drake is an aggressive player who showed well in Drexel’s scrimmage against Chestnut Hill College. 

Season Outlook

Drexel is projected to finish at 11th in the conference according to the Preseason Coaches Poll. This would be a remarkable step back for Drexel coming off a 20 win season where they finished second in the conference. The Dragons have a fighting chance to land well above this prediction, however, if they get production from previously underutilized talent. 

Yame Butler and Kobe Magee will be the x-factors for this squad, and Butler in particular will be expected to shoulder a sizable burden for the offense. Butler was described by Spiker as, “as good of a one on one player our league has.” 

Spiker noted that Butler has, “had big segments of different seasons. We’d like to see him do that on a higher, more consistent level.”

Butler saw a reduced role as the 2023-2024 season went on, going from a starter to a bench player, however, his talent certainly merited more opportunities than he has received in his Drexel career. 

Magee has consistently improved season after season, and entering his third season Magee will play an important role on both ends of the court, as a premier perimeter defender with a strong offensive presence. However, he has never been a focal point of a Division I offense to this point, so how his production fares with increased volume and attention from opposing defenses remains to be seen.

Fellow veteran Shane Blakeney will also receive a long awaited opportunity to get minutes for the Dragons. The guard has the physical profile and skill set to be a dynamic offensive player and showed it in spurts last season. 

Otherwise, the biggest question marks lie amongst the forward group. Starting center Cole Hargrove is a strong 6 foot 8 inch presence on the court, but how he fares against opposing seven footers will be a question mark. On offense, he has more range than either Williams or Turner can offer, so he may help the Dragons space the floor although he may not be as large a presence on the glass as his predecessors. 

Victor Panov and Villiam Garcia Adsten are versatile 6 foot 7 inch forwards who can play the three or four. The belief within the DAC is that both players will be key cogs for the team, but the only way to confirm this suspicion is through their performance. 

The Dragons are likely better than the 11th place they are projected to finish in, but by how much is an open question. Without significant steps up from their returning players, and some pleasant surprises from some new ones, they are going to struggle against the upper echelon of the CAA. If Coach Spiker is able to get the right scheme for this specific group of players, the Dragons should at least be able to play a fun, explosive brand of basketball in the DAC this year.

Last season was a culmination of years of player development, culture building and improvement for Drexel men’s basketball team, as the Dragons’ veteran-led squad carried the team to a 20-12 record, good for second best in the CAA, and the program’s best record since 2012. After a disappointing early exit to Stony Brook, head coach Zach Spiker was faced with an incredible challenge, rebuilding the program and searching for another strong season. 

The ever-busy transfer portal and ever-increasing NIL landscape meant that Drexel’s back-to-back-to-back CAA Defensive Player of the Year and senior big man, Amari Williams, would be out the door, with the forward transferring to Kentucky in April. As Williams left Philadelphia this spring, so did Justin Moore, the team’s leading scorer from last season, who journeys to the windy city to join the Loyola Chicago Ramblers. Aside from Moore and Williams, guards Jamie Bergens and Lamar Oden left Drexel for Fairfield and Charleston Southern, respectively.

Spiker’s veteran core group took further blows with the graduation of Luke House, Mate Okros and Lucas Monroe. All three players finished top-5 on the team in scoring last season, and House led the team with a fantastic 41.2 percent mark from beyond the arc on over four attempts per game. Additionally, Garfield Turner, one of only five returning players who saw the court for Drexel last season, was announced out for season with a knee injury. 

With Turner out for season, Drexel retains only four players from last season, and only two of whom have ever played significant minutes: Kobe Magee and Yame Butler. Only 19 percent of Drexel’s total scoring from last season returns, highlighting the team’s inexperience and challenge in building a new era of Drexel basketball. 

Who transferred in?

Jason “Deuce” Drake (Butler Community College)

Drake joins Drexel as a junior, following spending his freshman season at D1 Cleveland State, and last season at Butler Community College, a junior college in Kansas. The 6’2” guard showcased his shooting ability last season, averaging 9.6 points per game on 47 percent shooting from the field and 42 percent from deep. His 3.7 assists per game ranked ninth among players in the KJCCC conference. “Deuce” is in contention to be the starting point guard and is a crafty pass-first guard that can hit a deep shot as well.

Villiam Garcia Adsten (Pacific)

The Swedish sophomore joins Drexel with an interesting basketball background. The 6’8” guard played for Sweden in 2023, as a part of the U20 European Championship Division team, averaging 8.4 points per contest. Despite limited playing time at Pacific last season, the Stockholm native scored a season-high nine points against powerhouse Gonzaga. Garcia Adsten is a tall wing whose primary role could center around shooting, although he may fall lower in the rotation than some of the other transfers.

Victor Panov (Daytona State College)

The Russian native arrives to University City after playing his freshman season at D1 Cal State Fullerton and sophomore year at Daytona State College. The 6’7” junior averaged 13.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game on 56 percent shooting from the field and 38 percent from three, where he led Daytona State to a 28-4 record and 14-2 in conference play. Panov is a multi talented forward who can shoot from deep, move to the basket quickly and set up teammates well. 

Kevon Vanderhorst (Brunswick Community College)

Vanderhorst joins Drexel after a standout freshman season at Brunswick Community College. The 6’2” guard averaged 13 points and 4.4 assists per game, earning NJCAA Division I Honorable Mention All-American honors. Known for his downhill attacking style, Kevon excels at getting to the paint and finding his spots. He recorded an impressive 2.5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio last season, showcasing his playmaking ability. “When I get out in transition, it’s a show,” Vanderhorst said. Unfortunately, Vanderhorst is out indefinitely with a broken wrist to begin the season, but he is expected to return at some point this season.

Who are the new freshmen?

Ralph Akuta (Hargrave Military Academy)

Akuta enters as a notable freshman, being the first 7-foot player Drexel has seen in Zach Spiker’s tenure. The forward attended Hargrave Military academy, where he averaged 7.1 points, 2.1 blocks and 7.8 rebounds per game, on 57.2 percent shooting. Akuta’s large stature and strong rim protection skills, paired with his solid touch around the rim, should ensure the freshman sees the court a good amount this season.

Clemson Edomwonyin (South Kent School)

Edomwonyin started his basketball career only four years ago. The British big man has experience playing overseas in Spain, where he was named Defensive Player of the Year in the EABL U19 League for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. The 6’9” forward spent last year at the South Kent School, where he averaged 8.9 points, 5.7 rebounds  and 2.1 blocks per game.

“I feel like playing in Spain gave me a lot of confidence in what I can do, and will help me translate my speed and athleticism to playing at Drexel,”  Edomwonyin said.

Josh Reed (Archbishop Wood)

Reed made his mark as a Philadelphia high school basketball legend, finishing his career at Archbishop as a Catholic League champion in 2021, and earning First Team All-Catholic League, and All-State honors. The 6’3” guard averaged 18.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game, shooting 35 percent from three. 

With a new Drexel Dragons squad and a degree of uncertainty in the air, it should be fascinating to see how Spiker runs his rotations to help lead Drexel back to success.

Garfield Turner, the Senior center for the Drexel men’s basketball team, will miss the season with a knee injury, the team announced on Oct. 16. 

The announcement throws a curveball at what was already a murky season for the Dragons. After losing three-time CAA Defensive Player Amari Williams to the University of Kentucky, Drexel men’s basketball head coach Zach Spiker was relying on Williams’ longtime backup, Turner, to fill the starting role. 

In a backup capacity, Turner provided energy and grit to the Dragons. The Maryland native averaged 5.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, boasting a polished post-game and strong defensive effort. Perhaps even more importantly, Turner had the most minutes per game of any returning player. 

“Garfield has been a tremendous leader for us in just about every way the last two seasons,” said Spiker. “I’m disappointed for him that he won’t be able to be on the floor this year. He will still be around our guys and influence our team in a positive manner. We are hoping he makes a full and quick recovery.”

Where do the Dragons go from here?

Now without Garfield Turner, there is a dearth of experience in the Drexel frontcourt, and there are virtually no proven commodities for the Dragons to insert into the starting lineup. The depth behind Turner includes third-year Cole Hargrove, and true freshmen Ralph Akuta and Clemson Edomwonyin. 

Hargrove, the presumptive candidate to fill the void created by Turner, has appeared in a very limited capacity at Drexel, tallying just 68 minutes last season. According to a scouting report released on the Drexel Basketball blog and podcast Dragonscast, Hargrove is profiled as a defensive standout who can be a complimentary offensive piece. Due to his lack of playing experience at the Division I level, it is difficult to discern what his potential impact on the court will be. 

Akuta brings tremendous size to the roster, standing at a hulking 7 feet 1 inch. Akuta has tantalizing tools, but his game likely needs polish before he is ready to take on a large share of minutes. 

Edomwonyin, a 6 foot 10 inch project from London, brings incredible upside and athleticism to West Philadelphia. Edomwonyin only began playing basketball in 2020 so his game remains raw by all accounts. However, the big man has been developing at a rapid rate, and if he can find his way within Coach Spiker’s systems he may find a role to play sooner than later. 

Wondering how to make the most of your tuition? The quarterly $790 “General University Fee” covers free access to numerous Drexel Athletic facilities. Here is a list of them to take full advantage.

Drexel Recreation Center

The newly renovated gym features two floors of workout space, including free weights, machines and cardio equipment. There are also two basketball courts and a small indoor running/walking track. The Rec Center also offers various fitness classes such as pilates and yoga in their two studios. 

Climbing Wall

On the second floor of the Rec Center, there is a climbing wall, which has bouldering and top-rope climbing. Belay classes are also offered. During the school year, the rock wall is open Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. 

Daskalakis Athletic Center Pool

The six lane 25-yard pool is open to students to swim laps when not in use by the D1 or Club teams. Hours vary but are often open twice a day in the morning and in the evening. During open swimming, there is always a lifeguard on duty. For directions ask the people at the front desk of the recreation center, or follow the signage and map. 

Kline and Specter Squash Center

In the lower level of the DAC, five squash courts are available. Additionally, two squash courts are open near the entrance of the Rec Center. Since squash is such a popular sport at Drexel, there is the possibility to book the courts in advance on the Rec Center website. 

Buckley Tennis Courts

Next to the 7-11 on 34^th Street and Lancaster Avenue are two first come, first serve tennis courts. The courts are open during the daytime and evening as there are lights over the area. In addition to tennis, four pickleball nets are available to be temporarily placed on the court. 

Buckley Volleyball Courts

Right in the heart of campus on JFK Boulevard and Arch Street are two sand volleyball courts named after alumni Robert Buckley. You can find students playing volleyball at all hours of the day. 

Vidas Athletic Complex

Located about one mile away from campus, and accessible via the Dragon Shuttle, Vidas is the main complex for Drexel’s D1 athletics. When not in use with the athletes, any Drexel student is able to use it. At Vidas, there are tennis courts, turf fields and grass fields.