The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1941-04-03
CAME FROM
BEHIND TO
WIN 34-27
And SOlenbarger.
Wrested Scoring Hon
ors From Ace Laney;
Smith High-Point Man

A tree-ScorlnG Dand OF Us. Ma
rines came bounding back from
down under in the final quarter
of the city championship cage
battle last night to knock the
staggering Lions out of the lead,
the ball game and the crown.
Playing their rubber game be-
fore the largest crowd of the sea-
son., the Leathernecks came from
behind to rack up a 1927 tri-
umph. The battle was closer
than the score would indicate,
but the defending champion
Lions tossed away their lead and
their title in a long-range shoot
ing exhibition at the end.
Trailing the Clubbers by three
points at the half, the Marines
whitfield it to one point as they
entered the final period, and
from there on it was easy sailing.
Previously, they had beaten the
Civic cagers by a $3.50 score in
the first title game of the series
and dropped the second, 49-48,
when the Lions wiped out a 13-
point lead in the second-haf.
Thunderous applause rocked
the packed High School Gym as
the defending champions rapidly
racked up commanding lead.
Their lightning getaway tenn
porarily mystified the Devil Dogs
but the newly-crowned leaders
slowly narrowed the margin and
the quarter ended, 11-8. Sinking
point for point in the second
period, Leathernecks remained
three markers behind the Lions
when the intermission whistle
blew.
Two determined teams faced
each other at the start of the
paying" half At that stage they
realized it was anybody's game
and that breaks" would be the
deciding factor.
Playing man-to-man, both
clubs recorded low scores in the
third quarter. However, the Ma
rines. who Melted three field
goals, whitfield the margin to a
single point, 24-23. holding the
Clubbers to a pair of ''two-point-
ers". Then came the final round.
In desperate drive to protect
their slim lead. the Lions at
tempted shots from all angles and
repeatedly lost the ball Taking
advantage IF the loose playing,
the Devil Dogs converted their
retrieves into points. bounded out
in front and ended the game with
a comfortable margin. Civic Gag
ers Melted measely three mark
ers in that period and only seven
in the entire half.
Most disappointing player was
Ensian Laney. Marine guard. A
consistent scorer. averaging bet
ter than 20 points per game, he
was completely off-form last
night. Besides errors of omis-
sion. the naval ensign attempted
% shots for field goals and sank
onlv three. He melted low of
seven markers.
Center Solenharger and sub
Hunt wrested seorine honorS
from Laney, each wrinkline the
net for 10 points. A number of
Solenharaer's field goals were &C
curate mid-cotHt losses.
Charlie Smith. -. and Waldo.
six. topped the Lions, Joe Pin
der. returning to action for the
first tire in three games show
cd effects of the lavnff Highest
scorer of the league, ne was stlc-
cesSfui only twice in IA basket
tries. Smith sank six out Of "a,
The lowest number OF personal
fouls 10 the plavoff was recorded
last niFht Marines, who COM
rlitted 1S in previous games. mis-
cued only six times Lions were
charged with eight and had sr-
rored 81 times in the other two
scr7us