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A Modern Villanova , One for the World — Not Just of Sport
In 1978, the Villanova men’s basketball team advanced to the NCAA Tournament, with a 7–3 Big East Record and a 23–9 regular season tally.
During a great game at that Philadelphia bastion of basketball — the Palestra — Villanova defeated LaSalle in the first round 103–97. Then they dispatched Indiana 61–60. Forty-eight hours later in the Elite Eight— Villanova lost to Duke 90–72 in the Elite Eight.
A year earlier, one person present on Villanova’s campus was future Pope Robert Francis Prevost, a 1977 Villanova graduate with a mathematics degree.
After only two days this week, the College of Cardinals in Rome at the Vatican voted Robert Francis Prevost to become Pope.
He is the first American ever to be Pope.
The New York Knicks are currently up two games to one on the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the NBA Playoffs. The Knicks roster includes former Villanova players Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges.
PHOTO: PennLive.com/Facebook
Like all NBA teams, the Sixers have deep scouting capabilities that can reach across the globe to evaluate prospective talent. It seems like the Sixers-Regional-Talent-Evaluator didn’t extend to just ten miles outside of Philadelphia to cast its gaze on the promise of Villanova last season.
However, the New York Knicks, who previously sent Bojan Bogdanovic along with five first-round draft picks to the New Jersey Nets for Forward Mikal Bridges, have noticed.
Bridges, who was initially drafted by the Sixers in 2018 before being almost immediately and inexplicably dealt to the Phoenix Suns, joins other former Villanova stars Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo. After defeating the Sixers in the opening round of the NBA playoffs and losing to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, New York has decided that adding one more former Wildcat is precisely what they need to capture the NBA Championship in 2025.
While the Knicks strengthened their roster against divisional rival Philadelphia with NCAA Championship-caliber quality from Lancaster Ave., the Sixers‘ loss may be Villanova’s gain. Once again, national attention will be cast on Villanova’s two magical NCAA Championship runs in 2016 and 2018, which will no doubt be a reminder of what the team can be during the 2025 campaign.
Villanova—one of the finest college basketball programs in America—is always capable of reaching the Championship level of greatness.
Since 1957, Villanova has won 21 NCAA Championships, including three in basketball, four in cross country, three in indoor track and field, one in FCS Football, one in outdoor track and field, and nine in women’s cross country. They are ranked as one of the best colleges in the country at #58.
And now they have helped to contribute to the first US Pope elected in history.
PHOTO: PennLive.com/Facebook
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