Evening star., 1943-03-02
Hoya Comeback
Sill Might Gain
Big Court Bid
Rout Of 6. W. Quintet
Poves Way to Regain
National Prestige
BY BURTON HAWKINS.

It's easy to conquer temptation
while treading lily-white path, but
1t requires more character, perhaps,
to stynAe repeat performance after
having yielded. Somewhat akin to
that is the comeback OF George
towns basket ball team. which has
tasted the bitter dregs of humiliating
defeat, yet bounced back better than
ever.
Whether Georgetown will be in
vlted to participate in the National
intercollegiate Invitation Tourna-
ment at New York starting March 18
is conjectural following the Hoyas
crushing defeat by St. Johns at
Madison Square Garden recently,
but if Georgetown sweeps its re-
naming three games the Tourney
Committee could no worse than give
the Hoyas chance to redeem them
selves.
That could have been a knockout
blow st. Johns dealt Georgetown in
that 65-43 walloping. The Hoyas,
bluntly, were horrible-as ineffective
as George Washington last night,
when Georgetown embarrassed the
Colonials, $3.50, before $500 fans at
Tech High gym.
Shows Its Fighting Qualities.
But Georgetown came back at a
time when it easily could have tossed
in the towel. After that st. Johns
game it lost its No. 2 scorer. ANDY
Kostecka, to the Army, but the
Hoyas travelled to Philadelphia and
presented a 46-40 shellacking to a
Temple team that previously had
upset them. Last night G. w. was
expected to make it close, but it was
no contest.
The Colonials obviously were off
form. They produced their most
shoddy play of the season but it
didn't detract from the significance
OF Georgetown's victory. The Hoyas
still have the spark that made local
fans love 'em. They still are classy
and now they may claim more
character.
Georgetown still is in the running
for that post season bid. 1t has the
customary "feeler" from the Tour
nament Committee, a form letter
sent to 81 other schools. G. w. re-
ceived the same type of letter but
may consider itself eliminated fol-
lowing last nights loss.
Still Have Tough Road.
The Hoyas still could make the
grade--but everything depends on
the willingness-or lack of it-on
the part of the Tournament Com
mlttee to forgive Georgetown its
poor Garden showing. That, of
course, is conceding the fact the
Hoyas must hurdle Colgate, Syra-
cuse and Penn State on a tough
road trip.
G. w. has the same opportunity
to bounce back in the Southern
Conference tournament starting
Thursday at Raleigh, N. c. The
Colonials will face William and
Mary in the tourney opener and if
successful will stack up against the
winner of the N. C. State-Davidson
game IN the SemlflnalS.
G. w. threatened to make an in
teresting game of it in the opening
minutes, when the lead see sawed,
but fell behind, 24-11, by halftime.
The Colonials owned only a 27-2O
deficit shortly after the start of the
second half, but the Hoyas then
proceeded to click and the game de-
veloped into rout.
81 Fouls Are Called.
officials Pat Kennedy and John
Nucapola inflicted 81 fouls, but most
OF them were necessary to keep a
rough game from getting away from
them. 1t deviated from the path of
mere basket ball once when George
towns Danny Kraus and c.. WIS 81
Wagman threatened to rearrange
each others features, but order
quickly was restored after fans
swarmed on the court.
Joe Gallagher, G. w. captain, and
Coach Elmer Ripley of Georgetown
exchanged words and John Konis-
zewski, G. w. guard, was booed when
he bopped the Hoyas' John Mahnken
IN the mouth while making clumsy
effort to smack the ball from his
hands.
Mahnken, featuring an unstoppable
1all-aWay shot, spanked the Hoyas
with l8 points. The 6-foot 8-inch
center boosted his point collecting
total to 300 for 20 games and now
requires only 10 points to break the
season scoring record for this
vicinity OF 327 points set last season
by Maryland's Ernie Travis.
GEORGETOWN GFPts. Gen w.sb er,.
Gabbianeli,f | 3 Rausch 70; 70,
Feeney.f . 3 Galjapher | } :
Potolicchio.f 3 o Groet7ineer . :
O'Donneu,f O O Myers a -
hI IhIaHlkeh'c 10 21S Custafson,c 3
Ryoe,c ---- q 9 9 McNary,c O | i
ndaaus,c-~-- Reichwein.c O |
HeIly:h - : < . Konis'wskig 2 &
nasset|s--- = Wagman,g / 3
Aoedls ---%l IL o3 Totals 10 10 80