The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-03-20
ARENA SURFACE CRITICIZED BY
 COACHES, FANS


 State basketball coaches of high school teams believe the New Ha- ven Arena, where the annual Con- necticut schoolboy hoop event is held, should provide more ade- quate playing surface instead of the present poor court and also that the GAG could do more for competing school teams than merely paying minimum expenses.
 Frank Raves of the Hartford Court, who covered the New Eng land tournament at Providence, R. T., last week, comes out with a most interesting yarn on the New Haven situation today, which is passed along to you. Here 'tis
 Connecticut coaches who watched the New England tournament at Providence are back home spread ing the goscpel truth that basketball in this state must improve to com pete with the brand of play in Maiye and Massachusetts.
 There's no doubt about. Con- necticut teams couldn't compare with the Waterville, Me, team that won the New England title Satur- day night and there were at least four players in the tournament bet ter than any this state boasted this winter
 Connecticut basketball isn't as poor as painted by the two defeats in the opening round at Providence and 1t is generally believed that this was sub-par year in this state. But New Britain wasoutclassed and Torrington. although 1t should have beaten Holyoke and probably could have gotten by Somerville, didn't | have the equipment to combat Waterville's amazing youngsters. And four of Waterville's starters are back next year plus few subs,
 Argued Into It.
 Waterville triumphed over Somer- vile can be credited to the coach for setting up an effective defense against Tony Lavilli but another Maine coach argued him into 1t Friday night after the semi-finals, The defense measures was most effective and consisted of playing two men on the giant center, back and front. This was possible be- cause SomerVllle's attack was top- heavy with reliance on Lavilli'S shotmaking and the four other players devoted most of their ef- forts to feeding the center.
 Watervilles sensational attack was blend of possession and fast breaking styles. The Maine kids broke up the court before a defense could be set up yet didn't throw a long pass, rather moving the ball almost as quickly and far more carefully by dribhling.
 Wide Majority
 The afternoon hotel lobby chin fests more or less subordinated the New England tournament discus sions and in almost every instance the cons outnumbcred the pros by Q wide majority.
 Some of the criticism leveled | against the New Haven event was simply negative but most of 1t was constructive. Along these lines state coaches think tho Arena could | purovide q decent playing surface instead of the present poor court | and also the CIAC could do more for the competing schools than merely paying minimum expenses.
 It was generally agreed that the GAG tournaments lack warm hos pitality, that the dressing room conditions are unsatisfactory and that after starting the excellent plan of buffet luncheon get-to- gether which was well-received 1t was dropped this year for no ap. parent good reason.
 Blacklist Criticized
 Another criticism was the sub- stitution of blacklist rather than expression of preference regarding officials in Q questionnaire sent to coaches.
 Tn other years coaches have been asked to list officials they approved, This year they were requested to list those disapproved,
 These tournaments at New Haven and here which ended over a week ago, were the most successful in history from a financial standpoint. The paid attendance at the New Haven finals was only couple hun dred dollars short of $5 1000 and the entire tournament drew remarkably large crowds in Q comeback over last year when gas rationing hit hard and brought about Q retrench- ment program in the CHAP. The Arena has received an average of about $400 rental per night over 10 years.
 Teams which competed in the CIAC tournaments will receive 50 cents per bus mile for travel eX- penSeS plus $8 per trip for meal money If 1t was necessary to eat.
 Ill addition to numerous coaches and q sprinkling of referees Con- nectlcut was represented by three GAG ofIlcails at Providence. They were Harold A. SWaiIleld, Roger Ludlow principal, who is the CIAC Erwin E. Trask, Plain vile superintendent of schools, who is GAG tournament director and Walter B. Spencer, former GAG president now executive secreatry and National Federation official. Spencer is principal of Commercial high in New Haven.