The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-01-04
tNEA Telephoto)
Unregistered U. 8. Patent OfhCe)
BY LACK Cunn1

BY JACk CUDDY Limited Press Staff Correspondent
 New York, Jan. { = (U.P3 = Eastern basketball enthusiasts are still agog over the goofy game at Madison Square Garden Saturday night in which Fordham abandoned its usual defensive tactics and pitt ted "firehouse" against "1lrehouse" methods to upset Rhode Island State, 84 to 75.
 The Gardens record cage crowd of 18,394 developed balata necks from watching the torrent of shots at both ends of the court, as half- dozen Garden scoring marks were bettered.
 Today the experts are arguing all over the East about the significance of this upset-tif any. Some say Fordham's triumph proves that the object of basketball is to outscore the other team, regardless of de- fense. Others maintain that Ford hams superior defense prevented Rhode Island from scoring as much as the FordhamiteS in a fast-run- ming game.
 Below Average
 The latter school of thought, which supports the bookish game against the blitz type, points out that the Rhode Island Rams had averaged 92 points per game, be- fore tangling with the Fordharn Rams. In fact, the Rhode Islanders defeated Fort Williams by the ada ing-machine figure of 124 to 59, and because of Fordham's apparently abandoned but instinctive defense, Rhode Island was unable to main- tain its average of 92 Saturday night. It was restricted to mere 75.
 However, supporters of the Fire house" game insist that Fordham's unexpected all-out attack surprised. the Rhode Islanders and put them on the defensive, thus permitting FordhaIn to monopolize the ball; do more shooting. and make more bas- kets.
 We do not know which theory is correct. We do know, however, that last season Coach Ed KelIeher of Fordham concentrated on defense against the Rhode Islanders per- petual-motion play, and lost to Coach Frank Keaney'S team in an extra period. Kelleher kept his two talleSt Fordham men in the back court where they could do no scor- ing. Meanwhile his two smallest men forward tried to fight five husky Staters under the boards. Be- cause Kelleher was expected to use the same system Saturday night, his team was 9-5 underdog.
 We were sorry to see Rhode Is- land lose, because Coach Keaney is one of our favorite characters. This pudgy, middle-aged mentor is as refreshing as mint julep when he rises at a basketball luncheon and. in slap-stick fashion, gives the needle" to other coaches present for taking the hoop game too ser- iously; and for being "just too, too technical"
 Light Hearted
 9hShGOUdu ID JunL d BdbAlC WHICH was invented so that the boys could have fun playing it." Keaney says. T just send them out there to have fun-win or lose. If anybody beats us-so what? I just pivot and go home. I can always eat my supp per-"
 Does Keaney ever read books on the technique of basketball?
 Sure I do." he chuckles. T read them all, even the books by Holman and Bee. But he always does the opposite from what those books tell us. If they say float, VIC don't float. That's why the other coaches call me 'unsound.'
 I'm always willing to give the other fellow one basket if we can get two in exchange. I tell the boys to go out there and run around and shoot and have fun. We don't ex- pcct to win every game. But as long as the boys and have Q good time ! figure we're playing the right kind of basketball"