The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-01-08
NUNS NIKE fair START
New Men on. Varsity Team
Make Good Showing and
Will Improve.

The state university basketball
team has played the first games Of
it's schedule, and for a bunch that had
practiced together only once or twice
before the initial games the men dis
ported themselves in fairly good shape.
The team won the first conference
game that the State university ever
took part in and lost the second@ game
in the last minute Of play.
The disqualification for various
causes of the men who were generally
conceded to have first call on the var
sity team, caused a lot of pessimistic
comment, and few believed that the
Bruins would win a game from the
fast team from Walla Walla. But
the five men who wore the new suits
in which the Bruin basketball men APP
pear this season ff6f good work, even
though not one of them had ever
played a complete game for Montana
before.
johnson Good Man.
Frank Johnson, the fast little for
ward, weighs only 1876 pounds, but is
very fast, good pasSer and Il fair
shot. Johnson had four years OF ex-
pericnce under the best scholastic
basketball tutor in the state and he
shows that he knows lot of basket
ball
Sanderson Is Strong.
Lawson Sanderson, acting captain,
has been Il substitute guard for the
last two seasons. but Nissen shifted
him to Il forward position. as he show
cd up well in the first game. but in
the last game missed many shots at
the basket. Sanderson has shot so per
cent of his free throws, which is as
good as the best Of the foul shooters
do.
Chris BentZ fights hard and plays
an earnest game at center, and though
the way he picks the ball out of the
air is really remarkable, he is rather
too big to play a regular position
against a fast team. which Whitman
certainly was not.
Newman Star Of Quint.
Ritchey Newman, the speedy run
ming guard, is another Helena product
and is probably the best man in the
Bruin lineup For three years, while
with the Helena high school team. he
was chosen as all Estate center which
is his regular position. Newman is
rather small for n center man, and of
slight build, but is very fast and has
Il good eye for the basket He has
been out Of the hoop game for a year,
and it will probably take him some
time yet to regain his true form.
Ollie Jones, who PLAYED standing
guard on the Missoula basketball team
for two years under the regime of big
John McGough, played u fair game
at right guard against the Mission
aries, and showed up well in the last
game, when he cane up the field three
times to score field goals.
Dries May Report.
There is still possibility that Frank
Dries, the best all around basketball
player who ever dribblcd ball down
the Montana gym. will be back in
time to play against the Aegies and
to take part in the Bruins long road
trip during February. Dries would
furnish the thing that the team needs
most, a man who knows how to drib-
BILE
With few days practice, the
Bruins may yet improve so that the
limited at slaughter by the Agsies
may never become a reality. John
son, Newman and Sanderson are Ger
tainly good enough for the team and
the other men may yet show first
class form. There is some promising
material. but the pick of the basket
ban men at the university are in =
eligible. and high school basket
bah is very much different from var
sity ball
Idaho Next Opposition.
Montana meets Idaho next Friday
and Saturday on the Montana floor
ldaho has promising team and it
may be remembered that the only
game the Muscovites won last Yea,
was from the supposedly stronger
Bruin quint. Bleamaster the football
coach, and Heck" Edmundson are the
coaches Of the Idaho five.
The Washington State college team
which plays a two game series here in
febfuary, Is reputed to have tn.
strongest team Of its history. Nose
Copeland BOILER, Jackson and Price
tue tlNc men who played for the Pull
man school last year, are playing tn,
A ~ ~~rn