Evening star., 1944-02-18
Wilson, Eastern Fives
Choices; Eagles Nab
Catholic LaureIs
BY GEORGE HUBER.

~AOASoN AAoDh$ASs
Wilson meets Tech and Eastern
meets Coolidge tonight on Tech
court to start the high school basket
ball championship playoffs. The
two winning clubs then tangle in the
big title game tomorrow night.
After that comes next weeks
Evening Star Metropolitan Cham
pionship Tournament and If activity
at Tech this week end and next week
Is anything similar to that at Last
nights Gonzaga-St. Johns game
and it almost certainly will be-that
big athletic plant is in for a beat
ing. Windows practically were blown
out of the place and rafters loosened
as Gonzaga topped st. Johns, 44-38,
to win the Catholic League cham
pionship.
Wilson and Eastern are slight
favorites in tonight's high school
playoffs The Tiger zone defense
always has been troublesome to Tech
and with Stu Brown to lead the scor-
ing attack, Wilson has a fair chance
OF getting its second cage title. It
won in 1912. Tech, last years high
school and Metropolitan titlist, has
a bit more reserve strength, how
ever, which may tell in the hot 60
ing. Wilson Is in a winning groove,
though, having turned in nine
straight triumphs.
Eastern Has Keen Threats.
The aggressive Mike Pappafotis
and high-scoring Bob Lamon are
Eastern's threats against Coolidge
tonight. The Colts won in the first
meeting. but they no longer have
Addy Bassin, a big factor In that
early game.
Wilson and Eastern, having tied
for first place In the round robin
series, already are assured OF places
IN next weeks Star metropolitan
tourney. If either Coolidge or Tech
survives tonight's engagements and
takes the title tomorrow 1t also will
enter the Metro meet.
The Gonzaga-St. Johns engage
ment last night was hot enough
without the additional excitement
and heat furnished by the standing
room only" crowd. Two bands also
were on hand and playing at the
same time all the time. Nor did
either cheering section let up for a
minute
Gonzaga was ahead most Of the
time. but by no safe margin. The
Johnnies tied the score momentarily
IN the third period and In the finaI
frame pulled to within two points
while holding the Eagles scoreless
until the last IS seconds of the clos
ing quarter. They couldn't quite
make 1t, however, but 1t was one OF
those good games that will 20 down
in the history Of the heated athletic
relationships OF these two Catholic
schools.
Gonzaxa Clings to Lead.
! Bill Kellinger Tipped in a shot tt
give .Gonzaga a 6-5 lead midway
through the first period after the
Johnnies got of to a fast start anc
from then until the start OF the
third frame the Eagles were a shade
ahead They had a 1910 margin al
the end Of the first period and three
buckets by Chester Coakley, the
evenings high scorer, helped them
to maintain 1925 lead at halftime
Dave Carroll's charity toss gave
Gonzaga another point to open the
third quarter. but George Hughes
came along with q foul shot for st
Johns and Paddy Rhodes and Tom
Gletner scored from the floor tc
knot the count at 1929. Coakley'!
free shot then sent the Eagles In
front for good and Hickson led then
to a 40-3l edge going into the last
frame.
1t was then the Johnnies got no
again. Gonzaga couldn't get clos
enough to score while Rhodes tossee
in two baskets, Jim Gaegler one ant
Tom Cavanaugh a free shot to pull
st. Johns within two points Of tn
Eagles. Gonzaga finally made it
only field goal in the period whel
Carroll scored 45 seconds ahead O
the final whistle. In the remainin,
moments Cranston and Carroll tai
lied with foul tries to finish tn,
game,