Soft Pretzel Logic

Postgame audio

La Salle: John Giannini, Rodney Green and Darnell Harris
St. Joseph's: Phil Martelli

Inquirer recap by Ray Parrillo
Daily News recap by Bob Cooney

Inquirer photo gallery by Ron Cortes

It was a lot like the St. Joe's-Temple game. Except this time, the Hawks didn't win... and this time, the end of the game was even crazier.

With nine seconds left and La Salle up, 90-89, Darnell Harris clanked the front end of a one-and-one off the back rim. Tasheed Carr brought the rebound down the floor and was driving to the basket, but lost the handle trying to get the ball to Rob Ferguson. Rodney Green got into the scrum, got the ball and called timeout.

Paul Johnson threw a football inbounds pass to Green, who caught it halfway over the midcourt line and was bear-hugged by Carr. Green missed the free throw, but somehow managed to commit a lane violation before the second free throw.

Rob Ferguson launched the ensuing inbounds pass down the floor and it was batted down by Johnson. Tasheed Carr got the loose ball and threw it up, but he was too late -- and the ball bounced off the rim anyway.

Cue another hailstorm of streamers, a tidal wave of La Salle students rushing the floor, and one of the most stunned Palestra crowds you'll ever see -- in both directions.

This had to be the best Big 5 game not only this year but in quite some time.

La Salle shot 30-for-59 from the field (50.8%), including 16-for-19 from three-point range (55.2%) and 14-for-30 from two-point range (46.7%), and 14-for-21 from the free throw line (66.7%). Fourteen offensive rebounds, 18 defensive rebounds, 22 assists, 12 turnovers, one block, seven steals and 16 fouls committed.

That adds up to 67 possessions and 1.343 points per possession.

St. Joe's shot 34-for-54 from the field (63.0%), including 8-for-16 from three-point range (50.0%) and 26-for-38 from two-point range (68.4%), and 13-for-16 from the free throw line (81.3%). Four offensive rebounds, 17 defensive rebounds, 19 assists, 11 turnovers, seven blocks, three steals and 18 fouls committed.

That adds up to 67 possessions and 1.297 points per possession.

It was an extraordinary display of offensive efficiency by both teams, and even more remarkable because it was in a Big 5 game. Even though a lot of City Series games this year have been high-scoring, there's no denying that the Big 5 has historically been defined by low scores.

Pat Calathes and Darrin Govens tied for game-high scoring honors with 26 points each. Calathes shot 10-for-15, including 3-for-4 from three-point range. Govens was 10-for-14, including 4-for-6 from beyond the arc, and 17 of his points came in the second half.

Honestly, it's so hard to ignore what Calathes did in so many ways tonight that I have to split Line of the Game honors between him and Darnell Harris, who really put the Explorers on his back.

And finally, the second half rollouts:

La Salle

14:38 -- SJ HOSTS TOURNY --> WILL THEY PLAY?
7:56 -- St. Joe's has class... Rivera usually cuts
2:39 -- HOLY CRAP! HOLY CROSS?

St. Joe's

11:39 -- KEEP EXPLORING THE BOTTOM OF THE A10

We also had, with 11:36 to go, the Hatfield Meats pig on the floor shooting hot dogs and t-shirts into the stands. As happens at least one almost every time I see him/her/it, one of the hot dogs exploded all over the floor.

Okay, now I really have to get out of here and go to sleep.