Improving La Salle picked to finish fourth in A-10

The La Salle Explorers are improving in the eyes of rival coaches in the Atlantic Ten Conference.

In voting by coaches and media, coach John Giannini's team was picked to finish fourth in the A-10 this season.

Dayton, which received 33 of 57 first-place votes, is the favorite to win the conference title. Xavier was picked second, followed by Richmond, in the balloting released yesterday.

Temple was tied for fifth with Duquesne, while St. Joseph's was 10th.

La Salle's recognition should come as no surprise.

The Explorers return four of their top five scorers, including Rodney Green, from an 18-13 squad. The 6-foot-5 senior guard averaged 17.8 points last season and was named to the first team on the preseason all-conference squad. He scored 20 or more points in 14 games.

La Salle also adds freshman Aaric Murray, a member of the league's preseason all-rookie team. The 6-foot-10 center averaged 17.2 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks last season at Glen Mills.

Giannini thinks this could be his best team since taking over the program four seasons ago.

"There is no denying that we are in good shape for a particularly good year right now," said Giannini, whose squad was picked 10th last season.

The coach has mixed feelings about the preseason attention.

"You are pleased with the improvement that people recognize," he said. "At the same time, we finished in the top half of the league three of the last four years while we were rebuilding.

"So I don't like the fact [that people think], 'Wow, La Salle came out of nowhere. Wow, La Salle is good now.' I think we've been pretty good."

While La Salle deals with being in the spotlight, Temple must cope with life without Dionte Christmas. The guard who was cut by the 76ers this week was a three-time conference scoring champion.

Last season, the Owls won their second straight conference tournament title and made another NCAA tournament appearance. Now Temple must replace three starters.

"It's not easy to replace these guys, but it's what we do," Temple coach Fran Dunphy said. "The opportunities are presented to the younger guys. Hopefully, they will take advantage of it."

One of the players the Owls will look to is junior forward Lavoy Allen, who averaged 10.9 points and nine rebounds last season. He joins Green as the Big Five's only preseason first-team selections on the all-conference team.

"We have to have the same work ethic that we had the last two years," Allen said. "We are not the most athletic team in the A-10 or the most talented. But if we continue to work hard as we've been doing, I think we have a chance to contend."

St Joe's senior Garrett Williamson, who had 49 steals last season, is a preseason all-defensive team selection.

The Hawks return three starters in Williamson, senior guard Darrin Govens, and junior forward Idris Hilliard. They lost their leading scorers in Ahmad Nivins and Tasheed Carr.

The team's early success will depend on how quickly the players mesh.

"Every single guy on our team has to contribute," said coach Phil Martelli, whose Hawks finished 17-15 last season. "Every single guy on our team has to improve. And we are going to have to grow mentally, physically, and emotionally to compete in this league."

But the play of Williamson and Govens will ultimately determine the Hawks' fate.

"They will have to leave their mark on a program that has had significant success in the past eight or nine years," Martelli said.