Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-31
NEBRASKA HAS HIGH HOPES
Rooters See Chance of Winning Sec
tional Basket Ball Championship,
FIVE SHOWS REVERSAL OF FORM
Improvement In Goal ThrOwinR and
GuardinE Expected 60 give
Cornhuskers Majority of
Games to Come,

LINCOLN, Neb,, Jan. 3.-Cspecisl)-Mid-
season finds the Nebraska basket ball five
| playing in winning form and standing an
\ excellent chance OF taking the title for the 81
northern section in the race for the cham
rionship of tine Missouri valley. SOME OF
the more ardent admirers OF the Corn
huskers since witnessing their showing
against the Jayhawkers last night and to-
night are even willing to bet that the Nc
braska five will win the intcrsoctlonsl
games and thus secure the leading honors
of the Big Seven"
Nebraska since defeating both Ames and
Drake in two games each Is by far the best
big bet for taking the premier honorE in
the northern section, and ought to- play Off
its schedule for this division without losine
a single contest. Drake is the only serious
obstacle standing in the way OF a clean
score for the ~Cornhuskers in the sec p
tionsl contests. Ames and Drake will each q
be played in two games apiece by the Corn
husker quintet week after next, these be-
ing the final contests on the schedule of
the Nebraska five for the championship
series.
Good Chance Against Amep.
II is expected the pupils OF Or. Clap
will have an easy time OF disposing OF
Ames, because they so clearly outclssse6
that five in Lincoln that only a wonderful
change in the team will give the Aggies
anything like an equal chance with the
~Cornhuskers. In the two games at tho
state university armory the visitors from
Iowa played a fast game for the frs
half of each contest, both In guarding and
throwing goals. but during the second ses.
sion they could not keep up their pace ano
fell woefully before the Nebraska players
who seemed to grow stronger as the games
progressed.
With the Drake five at Des Moines,
though, the Cornbuskers will be up against
an entirely different proposition from that
which they will encounter at Ames. Drake
has a fast team that in the two games at
Lincoln last week proved itself superior
to Nebraska in goal throwing, but inferior
in team work. These Lincoln games were
the first Intercollegiate contests for the
Des Moines men this season and they were
lacking to a woeful degree in physical en-,
durance. 1t was this need of more train
Ing that really resulted in their downfall
at the hands OF the pupils of DR.. Clapp.
and II they get into shape by week after
next to stand forty minutes of rapid team
work they will push the Cornhusker five
to use its greatest skill in goal throwing
and in guarding when the two teams meet
at Des Molpes.
. W.T.
Even with such stiff opposition as Draks
will put up yet TO face, the Cornhuskers
ought TO win the title to the northern sec
ton. They have improved wonderfully in
all departments Of their play since the
holidays, so that allowing Drake a Wide
margin for gains in team work, they should
stnl be just a little better than the Des
Moines men.
The Cornhuskers started out the season
"
strong five as any Nebraska team ever
> faced. They had a hard fight 20 defeat
. the weak Cotner team in the opening game
! OF the winter; lost to the city Young Mems
Christian association quintet at the uni
/, versity armory, and then after the holidays
journeyed to Lawrence, Kan, where the
? Jayhawkers trimmed them in two games
$ by overwhelming scores. The games with
the Kansas five, however, marked a turn
e ing point in the work OF the cornhuskers.
t and from that time up till now they have
been growing stronger.
r The defeats of the Nebraska players at
the hands of the Jayhawkers was laid to
the poor physical condition of the Corn
huskers. In both of those encounters the
Nebraska men played winning ball in the
first halves, but, owing 10 the lack Of
training, in the second part of the contest
HdQ " blNG ndT W ~ NGi CpnuillOUcu
> Jayhawkers. in these two games the
o Cornhuskers alto were oft in their basket
u shooting.
I since Lawrence Game.
Since the visit to Lawrence the Nebra ska
men have made rapid progress in all lines
OF their play. Their guarding is probably
a the best seen on the university floor for
several years. e.
nufCbf Rel aud DorrV .' fuc 20 xasaY.-
guards. on account of their agility and
q speed. make the task Of goal throwing an
e extremely hard one for any forward in the
a Missouri valley. 1t was their work IN tile
II two meetings with Drake that was largely
responsible for the smsllness OF the visitors
n score.
In goal shooting Captain Walsh, Center
Petrashek and Left Forward Woods are
Is all playing in good form. The Nebraska
captain, who last year was rated as the
best forward in the Missouri valley. was
d completely out Of form in the first Kansas
games. Now, though, he is shooting
baskets with great accuracy from long
z distances, and is a big factor in the scor-
ing for the Cornhuskers.
Petrashek. who is playing his first year
with the Nebraska five. is doing some
lie wonderful work for a new man. II was
not expected at the beginning Of the winter
that he would be able TO aid the Nebraska
five to any great extent, and his good
showing has been a pleasant surprise 10 all
the local rooters. He Is quick in Jumping
for the ball at center on the toss-up and
is working in we'll in the guarding. D
Woods has not yet developed into an
accurate goal thrower, but is very valuable
TO the Cornhuskers on account of his speed
and his ability 10 advance the ball into
his opponents territory. His drlbbling So
far this season has been a feature OF the
Nebraska play and has aided materially
in giving the forwards chances to shoot
for field goals.
y BIR Schedule Ahead.
F. During the next two weeks the Com.
d husker basket ball men will be kept very
busy. having seven games to play. one
Of these will be on the local floor with
the University OF Missouri five, and the
others will be away from home with Min.
~nesota, Drake and Ames. Missouri will be
~ played February 1 aud tie other game,
70 viii occur as follows; Minnesota at Min.