La Salle cruises past Rowan

The banner on the wall confirmed the location was Rowan University, but on Saturday afternoon it might as well have been Bizarro World.

The voice of Dan Baker, typically heard at Phillies games, announced every score and substitution. An announced 1,150 fans crowded into every available crevice.

And some of the loudest cheers from the sold-out crowd were reserved for the visiting coach.

John Giannini brought La Salle to Rowan, the school at which he won a Division III title 20 seasons ago. His Explorers won, 81-51. The result was not the important part.

Rowan honored the 1996 Division III national championship team at halftime. Each member was announced by Baker, who graduated from Rowan (then Glassboro State) in 1968.

Despite being a most unusual atmosphere for a DIII gym, it was all very familiar for Giannini.

"There's nothing in that gym I wouldn't be used to," Giannini said during a postgame news conference that took place in the same room in which he taught his first health and wellness class. "If you handed me the mop, I'd still be used to it."

Current Rowan coach Joe Cassidy was the assistant during Giannini's seven-year tenure.

"My daughter used to dance with the Owl at halftime here," Giannini said, referring to Rowan's mascot. "The Owl was the star at her first three birthdays. This school is in our blood."

According to La Salle, it was the first time a Division III team hosted a D-I team since 2003. Jordan Price led the Explorers (4-1) with 19 points and five assists. Rowan (2-5) trailed by only 10 points at halftime.

"We all wanted to be on SportsCenter the next day for knocking off a DI team," said Rowan freshman and Haddonfield alumnus Rob DePersia, who had seven points, five assists, and four steals. "Games like this show the local kids that Rowan is the place to be."

Giannini received a standing ovation during the pregame introductions, but was not present at the halftime ceremony. He did not realize he needed to be out there.

"This exceeded even my expectations because of the turnout," Giannini said. "You better pray they never go Division I. They're going to pass a lot of teams."