Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-23
Star Met Cage Meet
Opens Tonight With
Mounts in Field
Prince Georges Quintet
Faces Tech, 6. w. High
And St. Johns Clash
BY GEORGE HUBER.

Presenting the best lineup of
talented basket ball teams ever
gathered here, The Evening Stars
18th annual Metropolitan inter-
scholastic tournament opens with a
double header tonight at Tech gym.
A Naval Aviation tie-in gives the
tourney real wartime flavor with
the Naval Aviation Cadet Trophy
going to the outstanding player.
Tonight's double header opens
with Tech. District public high
champion, taking on Mount Rainier,
Prince Georges County champ, at
7:30. This will be followed by a
promising tilt between George
Washington High of Alexandria,
Northern Virginia champion and q
tourney favorite, and st. Johns, CO.
leader with Gonzaga in the Catholic
School League.
Tomorrow night double header
to complete the opening round is
scheduled with Eastern, runnerup
to Tech for the District high crown,
tackling Bethesda Chevy Chase,
holder of the Montgomery County
title, and st. Adams, class OF local
private school teams, meeting Con-
zaga.
Mounts Are Game Lot.
Mount Rainier ranks as the under
dog i'll this tournament, but other
wise almost any team has a chance
to move into the championship
vacated when Westinghouse failed
to compile record good enough to
earn an invitation to this years
event The Mounts won their way
into the tourney only last night by
defeating Bladensburg High, last
years county champ, 25-19. 1t was
the ninth win in 10 games for Mount
Rainier. it having lost a previous
tilt to Bladensburg.
Mount Rainier reached the tour
nament final against Eastern in
1884 and made good showings in
other years. It's players are conf
dent of putting up good battle
again, despite the underdog rating.
1t particularly merits attention this
year because 1t has had no coach.
The boys organized themselves and
played with Capt. Ray Rodriguez in
charge. The players also have taken
charge of the physical education
classes at the school, fact of which
Principal Forrest P. Blunt is more
proud than he is of the teams ex-
cellent record
The team is small with Center
Fred Donahue the only 6-footer. 1t
is fast and scrappy, however, with
several good shotmakers. Regulars
in addition to Rodriguez and Dona-
hue are Vincent Schultz, Maurice
Flynn, Gene Sargent and Bernie
Shotz.
st. Johns to Be Respected.
Although George Washington Is a
favorite in the second game, Coach
Rasty Doran of the Presidents feels
he has drawn a tough assignment in
st. Johns. He's right there, because
the Johnnies, although they've been
in a slump recently, always have
been good tourney competitors and
plenty tough with the blue chips
down. There just isn't a soft touch
for any team to play this year.
Andy Farkas, st. Johns coach,
says his boys are fighting hard to
come out OF their slump. They'll
have to play like champs tonight"
ae added, and I think they will.
they want to win and we're going
o give George Washington real
,attle."
AS usual the participating schools
benefit financially from the tourney.
Tickets at IS cents are on sale at all
schools, with each schools sale going
INTO its athletic funds. Those not
holding tickets sold by schools will
pay SIS cents at the gate. In addi-
ion to the Naval Aviation Cadet
Trophy for the outstanding player,
there will be the usual big trophies
for the winning and runnerup teams.
for the winning coach and for men,
oers Of the winning team.