The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1930-12-25

from being scored as local players
often could have passed to unguard-
ed colleagues near the enemy bas.
ket for easy goals had they seen
them in time or had they passed &C
curately.
Fumbling the ball not following
up shots, passing wildly and trav-
cling unnecessarily, are the chief
offensive weaknesses together with
the bad trait of hesitating too much
in advancing the ball into scoring
territory and of their indecision
what to do with it when they get
it there. There are two basketball
aximos which may be repeated here
to illustrate the point I wish to
bring out. One is "you can't score
if you don't shoot" The second one
can be applied to basketball though
the adage was used long before
basket ball had it's inception. It is
eff you hesitate you are lost" In
ability to diagnose simple opposing
plays and failure to get rebounds
off the blackboard after an oppon-
ent takes a long shot are two de-
fensive weaknesses which can be
listed. There are several others
but they are beyond recall at this
instant. Two other weaknesses on
attack are lack of proper coordi-
nation in their own plays and ia
tai tendency of dribbling too long
with mates open for passes under
the opponents basket.
The team has six lettermen. AS
Stunning that the players earned
their letters, they certainly should
know the rudiments of basketball
by this time and, no doubt, they
have been instructed sufficiently on
the fundamentals of this great
winter. indoor sport. The writer
opines that there is one underlying
reason as yet unknown which DOM
mates the others but he has not
discovered yet just what it is. How
ever, it is believed that the local
athletes possess latent ability
which may have lain dormant up
to this time but, as only time can
prove the veracity Of this remark.
another plausible explanation will
be sought, though it is task to
conjecture just what that will be.
I did not personally attend the
game at Long Prairie but from
first hand information, it is not very
hard for me to imagine what type
of a contest was played. It is i'm
possible for me to go into detail
ed play by play account of this bat
tie or to comment on the strength
of both teams but I will give brief
summary of it and give my version
of the game. The tabulated scor-
ing record of this game will ap-
pear in next weeks issue. Long
Prairie evidently was at the top
of it's game and ran up rs markers
before the locals counted and at
the half the score was % to 4.
Long Prairie may have let up in
the last half but I think it was
due more to brilliant rally on the
part of Sank Centre that Long
Prairie was out scored IL to IN
the second half. According to re-
ports, the locals played a defensive
game in the first two periods but
their efforts did not meet with
success, partly because they are
not a defensive team and also be-
cause the winners were hot and
could not be stopped. A change of
tactics in the last two sessions
when the losers devoted little time
to defense and became the agrees
sors considerably aided Sank Cen
ire in their offensive work and their
total mounted to respectable pro-
portions.
Last year the Main-Streeters dis
played their best basketball Prov
ess during mid season. I once
was under the impression that the
locals were slow starters but,
since slow starters generally finish
strong, this endeavor to venture
possible solution must be discount
ed as Sank Centre certainly put
forth no strong finish. If nothing
occurs to enlighten the many local
cage enthusiasts before January 16,
this writer will very probably re-
ceive a worthwhile suggestion by
closely watching the Melrose-Saulk
Centre floor tussle which takes
place at Melrose on that date. If
no particular weakness becomes
manifest by that time, then 1t may
remain unknown indefinitely. The
writer Is thoroughly familiar with
Melrose basket ball, their strong
and weak points, their offensive
tactics, their defensive ability and
their methods Of scoring and pro-
tecting a lead. AS dissension often
disrupts an otherwise capable team,
I have wondered quite frequently
whether such a thing really exists;
though no evidence Of 1t has been
shown I will refuse to discard this
thought unless absolutely positive
that 1t does not exist. Owing to the
fact that the results Of three con-
ference games are still unknown
to me must postpone the writing
Of my article on the district stand
ings until next week. Any person
who knows the scores Of the two
Villard-Upsala games are urged to
get in touch with me before Tues
day Of next week. The account Of
the Sank Centre-Grey Eagle indie
pendent cage game will also appear |