No place like home for Martelli in Palestra return

By AARON BRACY

January 7, 2024

Big5Hoops.com

PHILADELPHIA – Phil Martelli was back on the sideline, back leading a team at the Palestra, and feeling right at home.

In his city.

In his element.

In his gym.

Martelli, the longtime Saint Joseph’s coach now working as Juwan Howard’s top assistant at Michigan, was tabbed by Howard on Sunday morning to take the reins of the Wolverines in their Big Ten matchup against host Penn State.

As he glanced around at the sold-out crowd, many of whom stood high above the bleachers and in the corners at the storied Cathedral of College Basketball, Martelli stopped and took a moment to reflect.

“There was a point maybe early,” he said, “when I said, ‘You know what, in my head, Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz is absolutely right, ‘There’s no place like home.’’” 

Alas, Sunday’s game didn’t have a Hollywood ending, as Penn State came back from a 10-point halftime deficit to defeat the Martelli-led Wolverines, 79-73.

“Our defense stopped communicating,” Martelli said. “We ended up with five islands out there.”

The Nittany Lions’ speedy Ace Baldwin Jr. blew past Michigan defenders, scoring a game-high 25 points, and D’Marco Dunn had 10 of his 13 points after the break to lift Penn State. 

Martelli had seen plenty of games like this before at the Palestra, both as a youngster in the stands dreaming of becoming Saint Joseph’s head coach, as a longtime assistant on the Hawks bench and then, of course, as the winningest coach in St. Joe’s history.

Better than anyone, he knows no lead is safe at the Palestra.

But there wasn’t much talk about the game or X’s and O’s afterward. Mostly, it was Martelli, struggling to keep his emotions in check at times, speaking from his heart about how special of an experience Sunday was for him and his family. 

“It’s not about the rings, not about the number of nets, not about the number of wins, not about the accolades, it’s about the memories and the relationships,” Martelli said. “I have a book and all these chapters in my book and this will be one day.”

Martelli’s son, Jimmy, is an assistant on coach Mike Rhoades’ staff. Family members and friends were spread throughout the Palestra.

The coach kept his eyes on the court and on the bench. He had to, or coaching would’ve been impossible.

“I was trying not to look because for every section I could look around and see a face, and that face would stir a memory,” he said. “In order for me to serve, I had to be here.”

There was once where he looked up and noticed the Palestra windows were closed.

“The only thing that was missing, and I don’t usually do this, but I glanced up to the top, is that the windows were not open,” he said. “Everybody who’s a veteran here knows when it gets that hot they open the windows. They always have and always will.”

Just like the Palestra always will hold a special place in his heart.  

For Martelli, there’s nowhere better. With Howard sidelined, Martelli said as much after leading the Wolverines to an 89-73 victory over St. John’s on Nov. 13 at Madison Square Garden. It might be called the World’s Most Famous Arena, but it is No. 2 in Martelli’s book. 

“All the people in New York, I’m not on their favorite son list,” he said. “It was a spectacular experience being in Madison Square Garden, but it was an arena. Our players and Penn State players today got to play in a gym. And that’s where they learned how to play.”

The day began ominously for Martelli and Michigan, with a fire alarm forcing them out of their Center City hotel at 3:30 a.m. Then, the Wolverines’ bus driver made a few wrong turns on the way to the Palestra.

“I’m embarrassed to tell anyone that I was on a bus that got lost coming to the Palestra,” he said.

But then the bus found the alleyway that leads to the back entrance of the Palestra. It’s kind of a secret entrance to the Palestra that you only know if you know. And Martelli knows.

Once inside, he headed toward his locker room, the one with the recently minted plaque of longtime Associated Press writer Jack Scheuer outside the door. It was the only locker room Martelli would use at the Palestra, so it made sense the Wolverines would dress there.

It was like old times, too, as former St. Joe’s athletic director Don DiJulia and DiJulia’s son, Chris, were right there to greet Martelli. Relaxed and smiling, you could tell Martelli was happy to be back.

Right where he belongs.

Back in his city.

Back in his element.

Back in his gym.

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Aaron Bracy has been covering Philadelphia sports since 1996. His byline regularly appears on Associated Press stories. Big5Hoops.com is his second website dedicated to Philadelphia college basketball. Follow Bracy on X: @Aaron_Bracy and like his Facebook and Instagram pages.