La Salle

Stefan Bergman didn't think the ball was going to go in. In fact, he wasn't even aiming for the net. In a boys' lacrosse game at the Katie Samson Festival on Saturday morning at Radnor, Bergman netted what was estimated to be an 80-yard goal with a little less than five minutes left in the second quarter. Bergman, a senior defenseman for La Salle, helped the Explorers earn an 11-9 win against Haverford School in a matchup of two of the area's best teams. Bergman's goal came as Haverford pulled its goalie as part of a 10-man ride while the Fords controlled the ball in the La Salle zone.

One word described La Salle's distance medley relay team entering the Penn Relays: disrespected. The Explorers felt disrespected because they weren't considered among the favorites, and because, even though they placed in the top three at last year's event, they didn't appear in the Penn Relays website's race preview. The Explorers took those emotions and an underdog mentality into Friday and shocked the field, winning the Championship of America in 10 minutes, 4.93 seconds. "It feels so good to win for all those people who doubted us," La Salle's Levi Hardy said.

Coach John Giannini, who guided the La Salle men's basketball team to the Sweet 16, has been rewarded with a multiyear contract extension. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed, but athletic director Tom Brennan had said that Giannini's contract situation would be addressed shortly after the NCAA tournament run. This season La Salle went 24-10 and earned its first NCAA berth since 1992. The Explorers then won games over Boise State, Kansas State, and Ole Miss, advancing to the West Regional of the Sweet 16 before being eliminated by eventual Final Four participant Wichita State.

IN COLLEGE basketball, you often get judged by whether your team makes the NCAA Tournament and how it does when it gets there. That really does not give a complete picture, but we live in a snapshot world. Over the last eight seasons, La Salle has been .500 or better in Atlantic 10 games five times. Only Xavier (eight), Temple (seven) and Saint Joseph's (six) have done better. Saint Louis, Massachusetts, Richmond, Dayton and Rhode Island also have five .500 or better seasons. Even before the 2012-13 breakthrough, La Salle was gradually getting better and was competitive.

Coach John Giannini, who guided the La Salle men's basketball team to the Sweet 16, has been rewarded with a multiyear contract extension. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed, but athletic director Tom Brennan had said that Giannini's contract situation would be addressed shortly after the NCAA tournament run. This season La Salle went 24-10 and earned its first NCAA berth since 1992. The Explorers then won games over Boise State, Kansas State, and Ole Miss, advancing to the West Regional of the Sweet 16 before being eliminated by eventual Final Four participant Wichita State.

It was a night of reflection, celebration, and certainly emotion. La Salle officially put the bow on an exemplary 2012-2013 men's basketball season Tuesday in a banquet at Tom Gola Arena. A large crowd turned out to celebrate a season of great accomplishment for the Explorers, who went 24-10 and won three riveting NCAA tournament games to earn a spot in the Sweet 16. "I heard from hundreds of people going back to kindergarten, and the reason why is everybody watches the NCAA tournament," coach John Giannini said.

St. Joseph's senior Chatilla van Grinsven was named the Big Five women's basketball player of the year, and the Hawks' Cindy Griffin received coaching honors Tuesday. Joining van Grinsven on the first team were Villanova's Laura Sweeney (Cherokee), Penn's Alyssa Baron, Temple's Victoria Macaulay, and La Salle's Brittany Wilson. Penn's Keiera Ray was the rookie of the year. Baseball. In his second career start, freshman John Ryan (Paul VI) allowed just one run on three hits in eight innings for Immaculata (12-15)

The Inquirer TOP 10 BASEBALL Team   Rec. Records are through Tuesday. Last week's rankings in parentheses. 1. Coatesville (2)   8-1 2. Conestoga (1)   8-1 3. Malvern Prep (5)   13-3 4. Central Bucks East (6)   7-1 5. Bonner-Prendergast (8)   8-2 6. Neshaminy (NR)   7-1 7. Strath Haven (9)   9-0 8. Central Bucks South (4)   6-2 9. Spring-Ford (NR)   8-2 10. Pennsbury (7)

WHEN YOU SCORE 33 in a win over Syracuse at Madison Square Garden, 26 at Kansas, 34 at Saint Joseph's, 30 in a win over VCU and 31 in an NCAA win over North Carolina State and another 31 in a close NCAA loss to No. 1 seed Indiana, you have had a season that will get you noticed. Those scoring numbers were the highlights of Khalif Wyatt's senior season at Temple, so it was no surprise when it was announced Monday that Wyatt is the 2012-13 Big 5 Player of the Year. Wyatt is joined on the first team by La Salle's Ramon Galloway and Tyreek Duren.

La Salle went on a 9-0 run to overtake Temple en route to a 14-13 women's lacrosse win Sunday, its first Atlantic Ten Conference victory of the season. The Owls (8-6, 3-2 A-10) led, 13-5, with a little less than 18 minutes remaining but did not score again. Melanie Sarcinello (Marple Newtown) paced host La Salle (9-5, 1-4) with four goals. Lauren Ignacio netted three, including the game-winner off a free position with 12 seconds remaining. Caitlyn Brostrand (Camden Catholic) also had a hat trick.