Evening star., 1941-02-24
SchooIboy Dopesters
Pick Riders 10 Win
Star Tournament
Public High Champions
Bow Only to B.-C. c.
Among Metro Foes
By GEORGE HUBER.

High school sports followers are
hopping on the Roosevelt band
wagon for The Stars Metropolitan
Basket Ball Tourney opening next
Monday night at Tech.
The Rough Riders established
themselves as favorites in the
eight-team meet when they won
the District public high title Satur-
day night by downing Eastern. ANY,
thing can happen in scholastic bas-
ket ball, however, especially in a
short series where one defeat means
elimination, and Roosevelt is guar
anteed at least an exciting time.
Although the city series Is ended
the basket ball wars continue. un-
abated this week, with several
crucial clashes slated before the
tourney makeup is completed. In ad-
dition to Roosevelt, Eastern, runner
up for the pubic high crpwns Be-,
thesda- Chevy Chase and Gonzaga
already have been invited to COM
pete, leaving four places still open
and hinging on the outcome of
meetings this week.
Hold Decision Over Riders.
OF the three other teams already
sent bids to the tourney, only Be-
thesda can boast of a victory over
the Riders. The Barons came
through, 24-21, in clash early this
season. That was one of the reasons
some thought Roosevelt would be
spilled from its interhigh champion
ship perch, but the defeat by Be-
thesda seems to have stimulated the
Riders. They have won Is games
defeats, incidentally, were to college
freshmen and really shouldn't count
in high school record.
When records are mentioned, how
ever, Eastern's rating, too, must be
considered. The Ramblers have Is
victories against only 8 defeats and
had 9-game winning streak-long-
est sported by schoolboy cagers in
Washington this season. 1t was
snapped only when the Riders came
through to capture the interhigh
crown Saturday night.
One of Eastern's wins this year
was over Bethesda, the team which
downed the Riders. Balancing this,
however, is the fact that Roosevelt
defeated Eastern twice this year, in
the regular series and then in the
playoffs.
Gonzaga Well Backed.
Gonzaga, too, is earning big sup
port as 1t goes after the metropolitan
crown. The Eagles defeated Eastern
early in the year and then balanced
this by losing early this month. II
they come together in The Star
tourney it will be a rubber game.
Three Of these teams are consider
Ing other post-season tournament
participation. Roosevelt, Gonzaga
and Bethesda already have received
feelers from the Duke-Durham tour
ney in North Carolina, an event at
tended last year by both Roosevelt
and Bethesda and the previous sea-
son by Eastern, which went to the
finals. Eastern also is In the run
ming and if it captures the Metro
crown it Is certain to receive an
invitation.
Nearly all players and coaches are
anxious to go to Durham. This
tourney, although only three years
old, is one of the standout gather
ings in the East and decides the
high school championship of the
South. Winner of The Star tourney
will be installed as one of the ia
vorites in that meet, especially since
the great Durham High team, win
ner for the last two years, has been
broken up by graduations.
A good showing in The Star tour
ney almost is a prerequisite for a
definite invitation to Durham, and
| for that reason, as we'll as many
others, all four Of the teams already
invited to the local affair are pre-
pared to turn on the pressure.