Evening star., 1946-12-23
Georgetown Is Rated
As Top D. {. Five on
Ear|y-Season Form
By Lewis F. Atchison

Whether or not Georgetown gains
the national prominence Coach FL
mer Ripley thinks 1t deserves, the
Hoyas unquestionably are the hot
test hoopsters in this bailiwick.
On early season performance, you
have to rate teams in the metropli-
tan areas in this way: George
town, George Washington, Mary
land and American University (about
even), Catholic University and Gal
laudet.
Against Davis -Elkins, when they
built up an overwhelming lead in
the early minutes and could afford
to loaf bit, the Hoyas put on an
exhibition that outdazzled Diamond
Lii, with Danny Kraus mastermind-
ing the offense. 1t was crowd
pleasing brand of passing and scor-
ing that had the gallery in an up
roar and the Senators bewildered.
Good Physical Condition.
Probably the most important fac
tor in Georgetown's success has been
the teams excellent physical condi-
ton, its enthusiasm for the game
and Ripley's adept handling of his
material. The team lacks height,
but it has speed and the sight Of
| 'Miggs" Reilly buzzing around while
big Kraus manipulates the ball Is
the kind of contrast that adds up to
color.
The Hoyas are home for six con-
secutive games after school takes In
next month, and you want to get
look at them if basket ball Is
your game. Ripley intends to keep
EN- going with practice sessions In
New York during the layoff, and
they should be as hot as pot
.bellied stove when they tie into
North Carolina State next week.
Maryland, off to slow start, has
a long, tough pull ahead If it hopes
to get into the Southern Confer
ence championship playoff. The
Terps are far from their peak and
it is possible that Burt Shipley will
come up with a good combination
after completing preliminary ex-
periments. Johnny Edwards, with
a slow, easy style and an accurate
eye, shapes up as one of the teams
promising men, and when you
have players such as Bill Brown,
Tommy Mont, Vic Turyn and Bill
Polling on hand you have the max
ings of winner.
Maryland, however, can be rated
no higher than American u, be-
cause the Eagles have an equally
impressive record. Although not
overburdened with material, Staff
Cassell is getting the most out Of
his boys and A. U. shapes up as a
possible champ in the Mason-Dixon
Conference.
Close City College Game.
The Eagles whipped Johns Hop
kins by five points, the same margin
Maryland had on the Blue Jays.
Even stronger evidence of A. US
ability was its six-point loss to City
College of New York, now rated
one of the East's top quintets with
four Madison Square Garden tri-
umphs to its credit.
George Washington will come
along under Otis Zahn's skillful
management and undoubtedly will
improve. The Colonials' stand
against highly rated Seton Hall
five was an inklmg of their power,
but Zahn wants better co-ordina-
tion, more power and assurance in
the team. He'll get it or know the
reason why.
Ben Zola is having his troubles
at Catholic University, and Just
when the Cardinals seemed ready
to click. Lack of good physical
condition has hurt the team more
than anything, but this is one of
c. US smartest combinations in
recent years. The boys left have
the stuff that makes winners. George
Laubacher, Jack Walsh, Joe Cor
rado & Co. played their hearts out
against Virginia Tech last Friday
but didn't have the stamina to keep
going. Otherwise, the outcome
might have been different.