In today's episode, recorded on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, I recap the Big 5 Classic from Saturday, December 6, 2025. Hear from La Salle coach Darris Nichols; Saint Joseph's Deuce Jones and coach Steve Donahue; Jack Scheuer VGH (Very Good Hoops) Award winner Duke Brennan of Villanova; Big 5 Hall of Famers Dionte Christmas of Temple and Saint Joseph's Carlin Warley; and Mel Greenberg MVP Award winner Brynn McCurry, who led Villanova to the Big 5 Women's Classic title on Sunday, December 7, 2025.

Also hear my interview with former Princeton women's lacrosse standout McKenzie Blake, who will be honored by the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association (PSWA) at the organization's banquet on January 21, 2026, as the Amateur Athlete of the Year. A native of Haddonfield, N.J., Blake broke an Ivy League scoring record last spring that stood for 44 years with 89 goals. Click HERE to learn more about the PSWA banquet and order tickets.

That and more in Episode 58!

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Story mentioned

Big5Hoops.com: Aaron Bracy’s Big 5 Column: Big 5 Classic again shows why the Big 5 is special. Let’s keep it that way.

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Click HERE for Big 5 Schedule/Results.

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You can order my first book, A Soaring Season: The Incredible, Inspiring Story of the 2003-04 Saint Joseph's Hawks, at the below links:

Amazon

Big5Hoops

Brookline

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My second book, Are You Kidding Me? The Incredible, Inspiring Story of Allen Iverson and the 2001 Philadelphia 76ers (Brookline) is scheduled to be published in April 2027. Follow updates at #2001SixersBook.

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-Follow my coverage of the Big 5 on social media with the hashtag #Big5Hoops, in addition to Big5Hoops.com. You can find me on IG/X/Threads (@Aaron_Bracy) and in other places with this link. Also search for the hashtags #PhillySports, #0304stjoesbook, #aSoaringSeason, and #2001SixersBook.