The New York herald., 1922-02-06
PENN STRENGTHENS
BASKETBALL LEAD
Title Seems Assured to Red
and Blue-Cullen Lead
ing Scorer.

The victory OF the Pennsylvania five
at Princeton on Saturday has all but
determined the winner of the intercol-
legiate championship for this year. In
the Orange and Black outfit Penn had
looked for its greatest obstacle barring
a clear path to the title, the Princeto-
mans having subdued all OF their op-
ponents on the court, including the
strong Dartmouth quintet Only the
presence of a single weakness in the
Red and Blues machine. the lack Of
consistent foul shooter, leaves any doubt
as to the ultimate victory.
Pennsylvania's remarkable achieve
qnent lin winning the intercollegiate
championship for three consecutive sea-
sons has been due in part 70 the excel
lent basketball system prevailing at the
Philadelphia institution and to a great
extent to their possessinA annually the
premier foul shooter of the league. In
1919 and 1920 Mike Sweeny sported
Pennsylvania's colors and carried off the
high scoring honors mainly through his
ability at caging the ball from free
throws. The record of Danny McNichol
in the league tournament year ago i'm
shooting 122 out OF 1855 foul tries in ten
games has been lieralded too often to
need repetition.
This year, however, the first time in
nany seasons. Pennsylvania finds itself
without a foul shooter OF even mediocre
caliber. Bill Grave, elic only member Of
the regular five who has attempted the
free throws. has Jared rather poorly.
His best performance was turned in
against Yale. In which game he managed
to shoot out Of II goals from the
fifteen foot mark. He Gagged but out
OF against Columbia, and on Saturday
against Princeton only 2 goals out OF ~
free tries came very near losing the
game for Penn.
The success of the Red and Blue five
in winning fifteen consecutive games
this year without the aid of a consistent
foul shooter serves only to indicate the
superiority Of the Penn machine over its
opponents. Pennsylvania's margin OF
victory. however, has been too small In
it's important contests to lend any degree
of certainty to its maintaining the league
leadership when the end OF the season
rolls round. Dartmouth Is still a power
full factor In the race, and the Green
team possesses Bill Cullen. the most ac-
curate foul shooter In this years tour
nament. Princeton IL also to be con-
sidered strong contende, as Penn's
victory on Saturday was By mere field
basket.
Cullen's leadership for the high scor-
ing honors was threatened somewhat by
one game played in the league this week.
that between Penn and Princeton. The
Green forward is still in the van with a
total OF a. points. but Loeb OF Princeton
Gagged 10 points on Saturday and man
aged TO boost f,is total to ~ points.
Loeb's gain in the scoring column en-
abled him TO pass Bob Pulleyn OF Column
bia. who had previously amassed total
of 81 points.
Cullen is still leading the league in
foul shooting. with 35 free tries to his
credit Pulleyn is second with 25 and
Loeb with his 6 fouls shot against Penn.
has Increased HIS total 20 "a, where he
is tied for third with Luther OF Cornell.
Grave has shot but 13 out OF "a foul
tries in three league games.