Countless Philadelphians have a connection to the Big 5. It has been a staple in Philly basketball since 1955, and families all over the city have allegiance to their team.
But some families have two teams.
Lynn Greer Jr. wrote his name in Temple record books as the second all-time leading scorer in Temple history (2,099) and still holds the record for single-season three-point accuracy (.472).
The Big 5 and Temple Hall of Famer has continued his story with the Owls, now as chief of staff for the men’s basketball program — all while his son, Lynn Greer III, writes his own Big 5 story at St. Joe’s.
“Hearing the stories from my dad’s playing days, and seeing little clips and film from when he was playing in the Big 5 and everybody coming up to me and telling me, ‘Oh, your dad, he was something special.’” Greer III said. “Seeing him and hearing those stories, it definitely means a lot to me to just be able to go out there and write my own story.”
The story he’s heard the most is none other than the St. Joe’s vs. Temple’s 2002 double-overtime game at the Palestra. Greer Jr. made a three at the buzzer to send the game into overtime and hit another buzzer beater to win the game for the Owls. He also scored his 2,000th career point that game, making him just one of four players in Temple history to do so.
Mike Sulkes, senior vice president and general manager of Comcast Spectacor, which owns the Wells Fargo Center, was at the game with his father and said it is his favorite Big 5 memory.
“Lynn Greer was the hero,” Sulkes said. “I keep that ticket there and kind of remind me why we’re doing this.”
Sulkes has overseen the changes with the Big 5’s move to the Wells Fargo Center. For him, it’s about adapting the tradition to a new era.
“I think the Big 5 schools realize that if we’re going to carry on any of these traditions, if it is going to exist at all, we have to adapt, and we have to make it different than what it was for a variety of reasons,” Sulkes said.
But it all comes back to preserving the atmosphere emblematic of Big 5 basketball.
“Emotion is the key thing. I want to tap into that feeling,” Sulkes said. “That’s what I’m doing, personally, is tapping into that memory from 21 years ago to make this thing special for the next generation.”
The feeling is something Greer Jr. can recall years later, and, like Sulkes, is excited for the next generation to experience.
“It was a surreal feeling. And you feel the aura of the crowd. You feel the internal rivalry,” Greer Jr. said. “Now for Lynn to go through it, it’s something he’ll remember forever. It’ll be a family conversation.”
As for how the changes will play out, Greer Jr. said that’s still “to be determined.”
“A lot of different things go into how it’s actually going to look this season, but the rivalry will still be there,” Greer Jr. said. “The competitiveness, even that we’ve seen thus far in a couple of games that have been played, is still Big 5 basketball.”
Hawks Head Coach Billy Lange said the atmosphere of his team’s game against Penn earlier this season trumped the environment of any other game this season, including the overtime loss at Kentucky.
“That’s a Big 5 game,” Lange said. “These things mean a lot.”
Greer III put up 16 points and a career-high 11 assists against the Quakers, grabbing his fourth career double-double.
“The Big 5 games are probably the most packed out games during our season,” Greer III said. “Everybody has a different energy to them coming into the gym. You can feel it, and I think it really just gets all the guys pumped up.”
Greer III’s familiarity with the Big 5 is another advantage in these games. Lange said he’s publicly acknowledged the importance of having area players who understand the importance of the Big 5, but the connection with Greer runs deeper “because of his father’s legacy and heritage within the Big 5.”
“It’s everything,” Lange said. “Lynn, in these games, he’s been terrific, and hopefully we’ll continue to get that from him, but he gets it. He’s dialed in on those games.”
The Greers were gearing up for their teams to face off on the court in the Big 5 championship game at the Wells Fargo Center Dec. 2. St. Joe’s beat Temple 74-65.
Despite the intensity of the games and the rivalries on the court, Greer III said for him, when it comes to Temple and St. Joe’s, “there’s no rivalries; it’s all family.”
“I support him. 100%. I love St. Joe’s for Lynn. Temple is my history, you know, so I’m never gonna lose the history,” Greer Jr. said. “But when I’m there and he’s playing, I’m all St. Joe’s.”
The different paths within this shared experience only deepen the connection between the father and son.
“We have many bonds as is,” Greer Jr. said. “This is just another one, another important one, to add to.”
This article was first published by the Philadelphia Inquirer Dec. 2, 2023 as part of the Inquirer’s college correspondent program. Edits were made from the original article to account for the Big 5 Classic played Dec. 2.
