New Britain herald., 1925-03-16

Leonard ?, Cohen 5. Total 2.
 The National Guards came through with a slashing victory over the Hartford Lyrics Saturday night by the score of 36 10 29 after haV- ing been on the small end of l4-1O count at half time. This evens up the inter-city series with two wins and two defeats each and the re- spective managers will get together shortly to arrange for the playing off of the rubber. It is expected that the deciding game will be play ed in this city.
 Saturday nights game offered great variety of basketball for the fans and was of the sort that pro- yided plenty of entertainment. First the guarding of both teams was eX- ccllent. In the first half both out fits threw out five man defense that was almost impossible to break through and most of the scoring was done from long range. Kldut and Sheehan were especially good in lintercepting and breaking up the Lyric team play, while Restelli, de- spite two boils on his arms, played Dutch" Leonard to q standstlll' Reynolds and Taylor, while counting but once each from the floor in the first half, played a steady guarding game and Sammy Pite, with three baskets, was the principal factor In the Lyrics taking the lead
 In the second half the New Brit ain defense was even stiffer while the locals sped up their floor play, worked the ball down the floor anu shot well. Taylor, Sheehan and Restelli were the offensive aces in this half. There were several cir cus shots made. Taylor contributed one that was humdinger. Run ming away from the Hartford bask- et two guards bore down upon hlnl. There was crash of bodies but at the instant of impact Taylor tossed the ball backwards over his head land jt swished through the net Tor 1.-two points at about the same instant he buried his nose in the floor. Sanl- my Pite also did his stuff well ana on one occasion dribbled through the entire New Britain team, after going the length of the floor for double decker This was the basket that put the Lyrics ahead 9-T at this particular point, Dutch Leonard played a fine game for the LyricS.
 The big thrill, however, came in the final half when Cohen put the Lyrics within one point of the Na's on Restelli's foul. The count was eS-27. Then Carlo Restelli got the ball in mid-court and rang the bell for two points. An instant later he was foulcd hy Witkin and added an- other point on the free try. Or the next play ResteIli was fouled by Leonard and tossed in two mora poin,s. These five consecutive points by Carlo put the game on ice for the locals.
 The First Half
 The game opened with both teams playing cautiously and guard ing closely. Five minutes went by during which there was some very
 inaccurate shooting by both teams Ihefore a count was made Then I"Dutch" Leonard made it 2-O and
 Cohen followed with the basket that
 made if 40. A foul by Witkin ani
 Taylor gave New Britain her first
 point and Johnny Sheehan added two more when he shot two fouls
 as I penalty on Malcolm, Just ten and half minutes had passed when
 fhe first Nat field goal was made
 and this was on long shot by Res
 teIB. The counter put the Mats one point 10 the good at 6-5 but Plte switched places with a double deck cr and then Red" Reynolds put the Mats ahead again with one ot r his long range shots. Cohen tied 1t 5 at on Reynolds foul and then ii was that Sammy Pite sped through the entire team for a two pointer . A double foul, Pite and Kilduff,
 gave both a free shot and each man made good, so the relative standing twas unchanged. Taking a pass ur
 under the basket, Plte dropped m
 another two pointer and Malcolm
 took a pass the length Of the floor for a sucker shot. The half ended
 with Taylor shooting one, making the count i4-lo, Lyrics.
 The Second Half
 . Cohen started hostilities in the
 second half by getting two pointer
 right off the hop but Sheehan made
 the score 16-12 and Restelli with 8 long range shot brought the Mats total up to 14. Reynolds dodged
 Hartford guard and tossed in ar easy basket for the tying score. Ne" Britain then took the lead on Xiii dufrs two pointer. Taylor dropped in an added point on Wilkins foul Here Reynolds was put out of th' game via the foul route and La H1i took his place. The fourth foul or Red" had given Malcolm his chance from the free line and he made tn rount 19-17, favor New Britain Then Dutch" Leonard uncorked