The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1939-02-02

Sport s |
Wags % |.
BY Chuck Rattle
Lovely Day
But Far Away
Win the Hard Way
Boost Average IL Points
Fine Maneuvers-
Can They Go All The Way
1t was quite nice day as I re-
member it. Perhaps the weather
wasn't SO nice-being Minnesota. :.
But Sank Centre rather liked the
day. 1t was February 4, 1861
Tuesday when Coach Gene Harvey
threw his cohorts onto the court
and they dumped Alexandria in
That was the last
time. Until the other night -. +.
Three long years boys, but every
thing comes to an end. Even an
winning streak it seems.
T.. And the lads who carried that
torch to burn Alex out in three
said three*-overtime periods to
win rs to % included: Walker, De-
Gree, Reble, Keldahl, Arvig, Hoff-
man, and Brendon. :.
And the record from there on
shows something like this. Ear
ly In 1896 Alex won 80 to %;
then followed the Sank Centre
victory. In 1887 Alex took two;
80 to %; and % to 6. -. Wow.
In '38: 26 to 16 and 81 to
81, were the Alex titles. =. So
the chain has been broken
since that eventful day in 1886.
And now TOftness believes it
can be done again. In fact he
and the lads and this scribe are
looking for a more decisive vic
tory over Alex in the next meet
ing. -.
When the lads won 81 to 26 the
other night, they really did it the
hard way. =. Yep, the hard way,
but the way that threatens to load
the gym with the paying public.
. For they really got bang out
of that comeback finish. The
game had everything. :. First the
Sank Centre lead. Then the flash
ing Alex offensive that drove their
advantage 2 to 1 over Sank Centre.
. Then the steadily paced come
back, the drama Of overtaking that
lead. Then the whirlwind fin
ish with about 40 seconds of anti
climax in which anything yet might
have happened. :. :.
A few weeks ago I wondered,
and wondered nightly whether
Sank Centre could hold its head
up in the rush of waters in the
district encounters. Now I
believe definitely-IF they hold
to the stride they've set since
Christmas-they are champion
ship material. -.
Here are some of the reasons
Please, get your notebooks ready
while the old professor gets tab.
ulation ready. -. Before the holi'
days the locals massed a total Of
120 points in six games for an aver
age of 20 points per game. >. Now
20 points per doesn't win too many
at least not handily. {. Oppon
ents in that six game whirl took
139 points for an average of 23-
so on an average they were beat
3 points per game. Even that
is not so astounding when you con-
slider they were beaten 80 points
in a single game. -.
But jump the hurdle over the
New Year, land in 1899 and
you'll find the going not quite
so tough. For since then In
only games the locals have
Q) lost but one game, and (2)
taken 1877 points. OF which
the average is, If the old arith-
metic does not fail me in this
hour of need, 80 points per
game. Nice step up, don't
you think? In the mean
time opponents have taken IA
points for only 20 point aver
age per game. -.
All of which points to renewed
vigor in offensive strength for these
Toftness lads. And why? >.
Because now he's letting them
shoot. He's turned loose the
bombing guns, rearranged his squad
until, I believe, the most effective
combinations are available. And
the shooting, the continuous bomb
ardment at that basket is beginning
to tell. All year long, lofty
held the boys to strictly good bas,
ketball. That is pass, break
and shoot close. Now they may
pop from the floor, rush to cover
and you'll notice that they're get
ting buckets from the proposition
No, Alexandria Citizen-News,
they weren't sloppy. That
victory was the result Of q we'll