The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-03-23
WRITER'S SELECT
trio Of NAUGY
BASKETBALLERS
Borough Boys Wind Up
With First New England
Championship, 1887
BY JOHN CLUNEY

49, SOAA@N GAAOGNI4
Sunday was real "day Of rest
for Naugatuck's blazing basketball
squad which capped season Of the
hoop sport with one Of the greatest
exhibitions Of tournament play in
the history Of borough sports by
winning Connecticut and New Eng
land championships on successive
Saturdays. Obviously tired to the
point Of physical exhaustion, the
Naugy squad, nevertheless had
enough left ION the ball" to OUT
point Worcester North Saturday
night SO to 81 in its all-important
game Of the New England hoop
tourney at the New Haven Arena,
as the victory carried with It Naug-
atuckis first New England champ
iorship1 and the famous Tufts
Fletcher Memorial Trophy,
Most Of COnnecticut's basketball
writers were ON hand for the
championship game Saturday
night, and took time out 70 vote
first and second GIl.New England
teams, with Naugatuck clinching
three places on the first team.
Frank RED Ryan, . forward,
Bill Reilly, center, and Captain
Eddie Mariana, guard made the
first team, as writer's selections
with Laska Of Worcester and RO-
manO Of Portland as the other
two players chosen.
CrOsby's Art Fisher and Able
Kelly, co-captains this season
were named as second team all
New England selections, though
both made the all-state team,
Naugatuck's Dunn, Pawtucket's
Schultz, Springfield. VermOnt'S
Birsky and Pawtucket's Corner
also placing, the latter two get
ting three votes each.
Coming directly after its second
three point defeat Of Crosby, the
victory was hard-earned and GER
tainly deserved, bringing to SEM
tillating and sensational climax
two weeks Of shell for leather"
basketball in which the Naugatuck
team stood out like headlight on
the Twentieth Century Express at
midnight.
Foley Has Critics
The performance Of the. boys
from the borough, every one Of
them that had chance to play In
the tournament either state or New
England or both, was certainly a
tribute to Coach Pete Foley, who,
despite his years Of success with
Naugatuck high school teams, still
has his critics in Naugatuck. They
accuse him Of being "old-fashioned",
behind the times" unable to coach
smart" basketball, etc; tee: but
that's the lot of any successful man,
be he coach or college professor, for.
like the propher, he is ever without
complete honor in his own town.
Fast Start
Last Saturday, Naugatuck started
fast and furious as usual, built up
IL to Z lead in the first eight
minutes, made 1t % to l6 at half
time, and then begged down bit,
as the borough boys. being human,
had to take few deep breaths, yet
led 20 to IS as the last period OPEN
ed, then 1t was 1928 and in no time
at all, Worcester went ahead 80 &c
20. Naugy warmed up bit, caught
up, and went ahead again on RED"
Ryan's hoop Furs, the little lad who
made several taller players OF OPP
posing teams look silly with his
under the baskets work, csored, put
ting Naugy in front as Campbell of
Worcester scored to give his team
1876 edge after Ryans basket. Furs
made 1t 37-36 for Naugatuck, Ryan
made good a free-throw for 1886
with Worcester scoring once more
on a free toss by Captain Ralph
Parmigiane. Reilly. Dunn and Fog
arty were the high-scorers for the
winners, but II was other players III
other games, indicating hiatt Nauga-
tuck had the best team in the tour
nament, for speed, scoring and last
but not least, In ability TO score
when the chips were down. Bridge
port Central, Warren Harding, Cros-
by, Worcester, all had better than
even chance to beat Naugattick, but,
when the final whistle blew, Nausy
had the most points, and thae, %
any one will tell you, Is what they
Y1aV-Off ON.