La Salle players huddle during last season's 71-66 loss to Howard. The Explorers will have a new look and new gym this season. (Photo archive: Aaron Bracy)
By AARON BRACY
November 1, 2024
LA SALLE 2024-25 Big5Hoops.com Preview Package
-La Salle Season Preview Story
-La Salle Player Spotlight: Andrés Marrero
-La Salle Season Preview Podcast
2024-25 Capsule Preview
–Head coach/season: Fran Dunphy/3rd season
–2023–24 record: 16-17, 6-12 Atlantic 10 (Big5Hoops.com 2023-24 La Salle Season Review Story)
–Key returnees: 6-3 JR G Andrés Marrero (7.9 ppg), 6-5 SR G/F Daeshon Shepherd (10.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg)
–Key losses: Khalil Brantley (15.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg; transferred to Oklahoma State), Jhamir Brickus (13.9 ppg; transferred to Villanova), Anwar Gill (9.3 ppg; transferred to Howard), Rokas Jocius (8.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg; transferred to Central Florida)
–Key additions: 6-2 SO G Eric Acker (LIU), 6-10 JR F Mac Etienne (DePaul), 6-2 FR G Deuce Jones, 6-9 JR F Demetrius Lilley (Penn State), 6-0 GR G Corey McKeithan (Rider), 6-7 GR G/F Jahlil White (Temple)
–KenPom preseason ranking: 167 out of 364 Division I teams
–Atlantic 10 preseason ranking: 15th out of 15 teams
–Tip–ins: In 29 seasons in the A-10, La Salle has just four winning seasons. … The Explorers have made just one NCAA tournament since 1992, in 2013 when Tyreek Duren, Ramon Galloway and Ty Garland gave the school a magical ride to the Sweet 16. … White averaged 10.1 points and 5.5 rebounds at Temple last season. … Dunphy, a 1970 La Salle graduate, is the all-time winningest coach in Big 5 history. … La Salle was picked last in the A-10’s preseason poll for the third straight season under Dunphy. In the previous two seasons, the Explorers outdid the prognosticators’ predications, placing 10th last season and 11th in 2022-23. La Salle has won three A-10 tournament games in Dunphy’s two seasons at the helm. … With 611 career victories, Dunphy is the Big 5’s all-time coaching wins leader and ranks 42nd in NCAA Division I entering 2024-25.
—
—
Aaron Bracy has been covering Philadelphia sports since 1996. His byline regularly appears on Associated Press stories. Follow Bracy on X: @Aaron_Bracy and like his Facebook and Instagram pages. His book on the 2003-04 Saint Joseph’s men’s basketball team is expected to be published on March 1, 2025. Read a summary and preorder it by clicking HERE. Contact him at aaron@big5hoops.com.