The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-03-12

s Choice of Santagotta of Leaven- worth over Sweykoski of Torring- < ton was agreed to by three of four coaches whose opinions were asked plus the added important fact that the Waterbury boy scored 01 points in ten games for a g plus average per game, against 76 points for Sweykoski in g games and an plus average. The two boys played against each other three times. the last time in the state tournament at New Haven, when the big Torring- ton blonde was used but two of the four periods, due to an ankle injury in the Manchester game, while San- tagotta was very impressive against Greenwich and Torringtorl, though held scoreless from the floor in his big test with Hillhouse, defending state and New England champions.
 Averaged 13
 Techs Jimmy Piersall, of course was foregone con- clllsion for he not only led the Naugatuck Valley league in scoring all season with 130 points in 10 games for better than six field goals per contest, but was an all- tournament selection of 15 writers at the state meet in New Haven. Not yet senior, Piersall has a11- other year to go at Leavenworth and will form the nucleus of the next basketball varsity squad hand led by Bill Tracy. A fast, "heady" and keen competitor with plenty of, stamina, he has scored most of his points under or near the hoops, on "follow-up" shots which Is quite a task for a boy not as tall as most high school centerS. In addition to his basketball ability, Piersall is ra- ted an even better baseball play CT, and certain big-league material on day, if nothing goes wrong in the meantime.
 Naugatuck's Winnie Healey, of the famed borough basketball twins with the Pete Foley Greyhounds this year, is a naturally hard-work- CT at the court game, which he likes peter than any other sport and was good enough in scoring, prior to the finish in the runner-up position to Piersall in the scoring of ten valley league games, though sharing the honor with his team mate and captain, Ralph Damino. Each boy netted 120 points, though Damiano's scores for nine games, Healy ten. Of both boys, one coach remarked: "Damiano and V. Hea- ley could hardly be left off an all- valley team this season, for they were both fast, played the ball for all they were worth and were good Shots." Quite a nice tribute from a coach, not their own mentor, MT. Foley, incidentally. Damiano, on the small side, physically, was par ticularly effective as an able floor leader and captain, for no one on his team outScored or outplayed him over the entire season. Both Healey and Darniallo are quiet, we'll hammered high school lads who played well together and certainly against all opposition. for Nauga- tuck's Greyhounds repeated as champions of the league in which each team played ten games, inc cluding, besides the winners, Tor rington. Leavenworth, Ansonia, Crosby and Wilby;s the two latter teams, incidentally finishing with 9 games lost of 10 games played, while Leavenworth, city champs of Waterbury wound up tied for sec- ond place with Torrington.
 Last but not least of the all- valley team is squat and speedy Frankie Russo of Torrington, third best scorer in the league and a floor" player of which any coach would be proud, for he can outplay and usually score more points than 8 of every 10 heavier and taller op- ponents. His work In the heart- breaking loss to .Leavenworth in the state tournament at New Ha-