Evening star., 1940-02-28

EIoluicIS VINO aGtempCeQ 10 lore.
tell the setup Of The Evening Star
tournament for the Metropolitan
Washington interscholastic basket
ball championship were hiding their
heads today. A while back they
were saying Eastern wouldn't win
an opportunity to defend the metro
pohtan title. Today Eastern, with
the exception Of Roosevelt, is the
most feared contender for the Dis
trtct interhigh title, following q 1890
extra-period victory over Wilson
yesterday at Tech, and its supporters
believe it a cinch to finish at least
second in the championship play
of starting next Friday night. Such
performance automatically would
qualify the Lincoln Parkers for The
Star tournament.
Oh to a mediocre start, Eastern
steadily has improved, and showed
its mettle yesterday when, taken by
surprise, 1t won like a true cham
pion. Few, and particularly the
Eastern players. expected the Presi-
dents to offer the scrap they did.
Lelanders Vent Spleen.
Those who predicted q rubber
game between Bethesda Chevy
Chase and Montgomery Blair also
were fooled. The Lelanders, goaded
by boasts of Blair fans, turned the
heat on full last night in Ritchie
Coliseum and soundly spanked their
county rivals, 1890.
Washington-Lee, another Star
tournament team, barely escaped
defeat by scrappy little Mount
Rainier, which 1t downed in the
Mounts gym, 1890.
The Little Generals Northern
Virginia rival, George Washington,
romped over James Monroe High
of Fredericksburg. $500, using the
game as a tune-up for its clashes
Friday and Saturday with Washing
ton-Lee, in which it hopes to clinch
q division title in Virginia State
competition.
The big battle for the District
title will open Friday night at Tech
with Western meeting Roosevelt
and Eastern facing Central.
It will wind up Saturday. The
Star tournament will open the fol-
lowing Tuesday.
Craig Shoots Timely Goal.
It was Neil Craig. a hitherto lightly
regarded substitute, who propelled
Eastern into the public high cham
pionship playof, the slender center
locating the cords after minutes
and 80 seconds Of the overtime Pc
riod to give the Lincoln Parkers the
opportunity to defend their title.
An easy 41-21 winner over Wood
row Wilson last week, Eastern found
the altered defense of the Tigers
tough to solve. Coach Tony Kupka
of Wilson, having witnessed the fu-
tility of a zone defense against
Eastern in their previous meeting,
had his team battle the Lincoln
Parkers man for man. and it was
clever bit of strategy.
VAAoOAA opAA VCO AACO a O.O 4CAU,
holding Eastern scoreless in the first
period, and not until 10 minutes of
play had elapsed did Eastern score,
Craig breaking the ice. BY half
time Eastern trailed only 9-10, but
Wilson still led at the end Of the
third period, 1921, and appeared
headed for victory, what with East
ern's Sid Schulman being expelled
from the game on personal fouls.
Eastern, though, refused to fold.
It kept within striking distance Of
Wilson until the waning seconds of
regulation time, when Warren Ear
hardt tied the score at 30-30 with q
field goal. Then came the extra Pc
riod and Craig's dramatic, game.
winning goal
Bob Clusters II points were instru-
mental in keeping the Fasteners in
the battle down the stretch, while
Roy Crowdrey and Moke Macdonald
were outstanding for Wilson with
nine points each.