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Around Philly\u200a\u2014\u200ayou might be surprised just who you can run into at a Big 5 Basketball Game<\/a>. Just days after Plymouth Whitemarsh<\/a> lost in the PIAA Playoffs to Father Judge<\/a>\u200a\u2014\u200aMichael Pereira was watching<\/a> a Penn Game from the bleachers. Now<\/a> he is playing for them<\/a>.<\/p>\n In the year of Philadelphia\u2019s historical significance\u200a<\/a>\u2014\u200awhat better time for Penn Basketball and the building that it plays in\u200a\u2014\u200ato make history<\/a> by becoming relevant once again?<\/p>\n The Palestra is the<\/a> oldest college basketball arena still<\/a> in use. The \u201cCathedral of Basketball\u201d as it is known has played host to more games, more visiting teams, and<\/a> more NCAA tournaments than any<\/a> other basketball arena in<\/a> college basketball in the<\/a> United States.<\/p>\n Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons.<\/p>\n Built in 1927 and named after an ancient greek term<\/a> for gymnasium, The Palestra\u2019s construction\u200a\u2014\u200awhich holds<\/a> approximately 8,725 seats\u200a\u2014\u200awas<\/a> constructed of<\/a> a steel-and-concrete \u201ctruss system\u201d and is believed to be the<\/a> first constructed without interior pillars blocking any view<\/a> in the arena. World renowned for its<\/a> close-to-the-court seating with<\/a> the bleachers ending at the floor and with no barrier to separate the<\/a> fans from the in-game action, The Palestra is one<\/a> of the best places to see<\/a> college basketball in the<\/a> United States.<\/p>\n The \u201cbirthplace of American College Basketball\u201d <\/strong>has<\/strong><\/a> hosted the East Regionals <\/strong>six<\/strong><\/a> times, the sub-regionals ten times, <\/strong>and<\/strong><\/a> 52 NCAA Tournament games.<\/strong><\/p>\n In the year 2000, The Palestra<\/a> underwent a nearly $2 Million renovation that included some important historical architecture. The building now has a museum celebrating the history of Philadelphia basketball<\/a>. As you enter the gymnasium\u200a\u2014\u200aan honor to the St. Joseph\u2019s Hawk<\/a> mascot which has attended since 1956.<\/p>\n Between sections 210 and 211, a scoreboard honoring the 1971 Villanova and 1979 Penn exhilerating<\/a> trips to the NCAA Final Four. Another highlights a listing of the Penn-Princeton rivalry<\/a>.<\/p>\n This spring\u200a\u2014\u200aafter leading Plymouth Whitemarsh to the PIAA Boys Catholic Leage Championship Game\u200a<\/a>\u2014\u200aMichael Pereira joined Team Brazil in the FIBA AmeriCup in Mexico<\/a>. In the third-place game against Puerto Rico and down by nineteen points\u200a\u2014\u200aPereira helped Brazil<\/a> come back to win 83\u201377.<\/p>\n For Pereira\u2014 one of a host of new players on the Quaker\u2019s Mens <\/strong>Basketball<\/strong><\/a> Team next <\/strong>Fall<\/strong><\/a>\u200a\u2014\u200amaking both the Program and the Palestra relevant again isn\u2019t just possible\u200a\u2014\u200ait\u2019s a <\/strong>priority<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.<\/p>\n Discover more from Philadelphia Sports Nation<\/h3>\n