The Washington times., 1938-01-08
Champion
Pressed by
Central
TECH TOPS WILSON
Height of Game Star
Big Factor in
Victory
BY HARRY COSTELLO

BY HARRY COSTELLO
All other things being equal In
the game of basketball, the tallest
player is the best player.
Lon Jourdet, who coached Uni
versity of Pennsylvania sensa-
Itional undefeated Eastern Intercol-
Ilegiate League champions during
the 1936-37 season, is the author Of
the foregoing statement.
Today, Washington devotees Of
high school basketball, especially
Washington's high school basket
ball coaches, must agree with Jour
Diet, in view of Western Highs sen'
sational 20-19 victory last night
over hard-fighting, enspirited Cen
tral, in Tech Highs gym.
STANTON STARS
For Central, it was tough one
to lose; for Western, it was a great
one to win.
Len Stanton, Westerns rangy
center, the tallest player in the
game, was the difference between
victory and defeat.
Stanton scored eight Of his
teams points but, what Is far
more important, it was he who in
the pinches intercepted Central
passes and tossed the ball to
teammates, who in turn scored
the points which gave the Raiders
victory.
big Len" tailed the goal which
made the count 1913 as the
third quarter ended. Harry Mar
tin, of Central, dropped one in to
bring the count to 1915 shortly
after the fourth quarter got under
way. Then Stanton intervened
by grabbing a Central pass and
shooting the ball to Bob Custer,
his mate, who scored two points
for Western, to bring the count
to 1915.
OUTSTANDING PLAYER
Another Len-Leonard sokol-
a cagey player for a high school
lad, and next to Stanton, the
outstanding player Of the game,
dropped in long one to add two
more points to Centrals IS and
make it II for the boys in blue.
Shortly thereafter, Archie Pan
aga, of Central, tailed two points,
which loomed very large, as there
remained only seconds to play.
Once again, as Central began
moving the ball toward West.
ern's goal, the tall Stanton inter-
cepted the sphere, heaved pref
tily to a mate, who took a shot.
The ball caromed off the finger.
tips Of a Central defender, but
Bob Halloran, Of Western, in
conspicuous thus far in the tilt,
leaped high and batted the ball
into the basket for the winning
points.
Stanton and Custer between
them added up to 70 per cent of
Westerns offensive strength, for
Custer scored six points, thus
giving this duo of stars a total of
IA points out of Westerns 20.
HEAVY ADDS
Sokol, John Tanning and Pan
aga performed brilliantly for the
outweighed but hardly outplayed
Central team.
CentralS grand game, against
heavy odds, admittedly came as a
distinct surprise even to Central's
most rabid rooters. But then,
western has clasS-class that is
sure to tell in the interhigh race
as the campaign grows older.
The Red Raiders at one time
were out in front 12-3. Then,
with the game practically on ice,
as any one would think, Westerns
coach sent in a second team.
Central Immediately rallied to
bring the score to 12-9. This sort
of thing is very apt to happen
in any high school game. How
ever, the big points are these:
% Western showed at the start
that it has the makings of a
really great interhigh team, and
CD in the pinches, the Red Raid.
ers did not fail, even with en-
spirited Central battling for all
it was worth.
In sharp contrast to the thrill
ing Western-C Central battle was
the dull, listlesS, sloppy Tech
woodrow Wilson game. Tech
took a I'LL victory, showing
only flashes of form worthy of
a top contender in the 1nterhigh
series.