Men's basketball receives bid to join NBA's Atlantic Division
Chris Thomas
Issue date: 4/2/04 Section: Sports
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Athletic Director Eric Zillmer is working with NBA commissioner David Stern to set their schedule to work around mid-term and final exams. Head coach Bruiser Flint sees nothing but positive outcomes with the move.
"Maybe now the Eastern Conference will actually be competitive," Flint said. "It's painful watching teams like the Sixers and the Wizards play. We should beat them easily ... by at least 25-30 points."
The Sixers' Allen Iverson was enraged was Flint's comments, but still refuses to practice prior to a game against Drexel or any other NBA squad.
"We're talking about practice," Iverson still insists. "What are we talking about? Not a game, we're talking about practice!"
With the 6-foot-9 Chaz Crawford and 6-8 Tim Tillman sharing time at center, the Dragons will maintain the Eastern Conference tradition of sub-7-footers in the paint. Conference centers like Kenyon Martin and Ben Wallace will match up evenly against Crawford and Tillman, while CAA Defensive Player of the Year Bashir Mason will look to best Iverson in numerous categories, including steals.
"Bashir will face defenses that will actually challenge him, unlike those of the CAA," Flint said. "I think I'll start working the refs now, so maybe they'll listen by the time November rolls around. If the refs from the Penn game show up, I'll quit."
Zillmer's also looking forward to the change in play, and predicts immediate success for the Dragons.
"The Sixers are horrible this year, and we can count on four wins each from the Wizards, Celtics and Heat ... I expect nothing less than 40 wins against these god-awful teams in the East," Zilmer said. When asked about the team's games against the Western Conference, Zillmer suggested that students "pray that Shaq, Chris Webber and Kevin Garnett don't dunk all over our players." He also added that "the Clippers should be two easy wins, but I make no promises."
When reached for comment, Stern chose Drexel "to add to the competitive balance of the Eastern Conference. I'm sick of 66-59 games. I'm hoping the Dragons can use the 48 minute games to their advantage."
Stern also suggested that a team may be sent to the CAA, as an exchange program of sorts.
"It's pretty depressing when I have to watch the Wizards lose by 20, and then see the Clippers lose by 15 on SportsCenter. One of those two might be taking a trip to the CAA to hone their skills. We'll let them back in when they can defeat Towson in five consecutive contests."
The Lady Dragons are also exploring their options into joining the WNBA, but Val Ackerman fears that Bill Lambeer's Detroit Shock would injure Drexel's team beyond recognition.
Drexel will open the season Nov. 5 against the Sacramento Kings at the DAC at 7 p.m. Tickets are already sold out, and the game will be broadcast on DUTV as well as TNT.
