New Britain herald., 1926-12-20
Spea king
 of Sports

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>>es A resume of the game between the National Guards and Sam Pite's Collegians at the state armory Sat- urday night tmpresses us with one thing in comparing the Guards this year with the team of last season. That Is. that the quintet this season Is a great finishing team while the squad last year seemed to burn out in the first half.
 Saturday night. th6 first half was slow because both teams were play ing on the defensive. When the game lags along. there are many faults to be seen and consequently many had the impression that the Guards were in poor form. The work of the team, every man being taken into consideration. in the sec ond half of the game. was as good as anyone could wish for and victory was well deserved.
 The Guards will hardly meet a team that will be any tougher dur ing the present season than was Pite's quintet Saturday night. Fast passwork and tricky way of getting away from the man covering, feat ured the Elm City teams play. Rubinstein, the visiting forward, was one of the best players seen on the local court in aAumber of years. With Johnny Sheehan guarding him like a leech, Ruby got away for . wicked eye for the basket. Sam Pite found his nemesis in "Red" Reynolds. "Red' turned in as sweet game as could be wished for in playing Pite at center. For the most part, Reynolds got the jump and in floor work. he held Pite to two baskets, both of them being long shots, while he went out and chalked~up four for himself.
 Red" played clean game. He had two personal fouls called on him in the first half but these were made when Pite had an almost sure shot for the rim. In the second half. Reynolds simply laid low and play ed a great game. In truth, the To- cal cente played a better game in Saturday nights contest than he has in many moons and with him going at this gait for the rest of the sea- son, there isn't any reason at all why he shouldn't get right back where he was two years ago.
 Church league teams are begin ming to feel the effects of injuries. "Acky" Floden of the Swedes Is out with broken finger, and the Luth- erans felt the loss of this slippery forward Saturday night. "Yordy' Osborne, first substitute of the South church. watched the games Saturday from the sidelines, a floor burn re- ceived in the game two weeks ago having become infected. Otto Barta played the entire game for the South church with a game foot, having run a spike into it during the week.
 In two consecutive games now, Sloman has been pitted against Mandell, ex-Cornell star and sweet court artist. In the two clashes, Al has clearly outplayed him and Man. dell's tribute to Sloman Saturday night was wrung from him through Sloman's great work on the defense and offense.
 Mandell lost his "goat" several times during the contest when Slo- man kept after him and refused to let him shoot. Sloman kept dogging him on the floor and Mandell tried 10 shake him off by polSlng his el- bow into Sloman's ribs. After the game, Mandell patted Sloman on the chest and said to him Boy, you played swell game tonight"
 Taylor would do well in a circus as a tumbler. He proves that every Saturday night in the games at the armory because if he did not know how to land when he falls, he would break his neck. He took flying trip into the bleacher seats On shot and came up unscathed.
 Taylor came through with the shot in the game that really decid- ed the issue for New Britain. The score stood 32 to 2S in favor of the Guards when Taylor let the ball fly. Rubinstein flew at him and showed him just as the ball left his hands. The shot was good and he was awarded two free tries. He made them both and this settled the result of the game.
 Taylor couldn't get going In the first half but he certainly outdid himself in the second. It must be that Taylor has to get warmed up before he starts steaming around, but when he gets going, there is no stopping him.
 Sheehan and Kilduff did sweet
 
 wards away from the basket. So well were they going that there wasn't any need of Sturm going in to the game. Their work was a big factor in New Britain's winning the game.
 Larry Mangan got after Dick Dill lon for not getting the travelling 1D the game Saturday night. Larry said it was the first time he had ever "hopped on" the popular referee, but his caution evidently had the desiged effect as Dillon got the tech nical violations after that.
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