Evening star., 1948-03-06
Capacity Throng Due
To See Final Fracas;
Bethesda, G.W.0ut,
By GEORGE Huber

1t will be st. Johns and Central
tangling tonight at the University
Of Maryland's Richie Coliseum for
the Metropolitan Washington inter-
scholastic basket ball championship
in the final game of The Evening
Stars 10th annual tournament.
Game time is 8:15, following boys
club preliminary at tbs.
The Johnnies defeated Bethesda,
Montgomery County champion, S.
30, and Central STAYED of late
rally to win over George Washing
ton, the Northern Virginia champ,
61-58, in last nights seminal be-
fore a near-capacity crowd. They
figure to I'LL the house tonight as
they battle for the honor of being
called the best high school team
in or around Washington.
Both Have Good Records.
The Johnnies, top-seeded quintet
in the tournament and already own
ers of the Catholic League title,
probably will be slight favorites.
They boast 19-game winning string
and an overall record of % triumphs
in "A games this season. Five weeks
ago they nosed out Central. 1910
Since then the Vikings haven't
tasted defeat, however, and own a
13-game winning streak and sea-
son record of 10 wins in ~ outings.
Last week they won the District
-; ri chiY,
Both schools have won once be-
fore in The Star tournament. Gen.
trail came out ahead the first time
the big event was held in 1888 and
the Johnnies triumphed in 1888.
George Is Top Scorer.
st. Johns was hot and Bethesda
was cold in last nights opening
semifina1 game. Jack George, big
gun for the Johnnies, did some
fancy scoring in the opening period,
getting II of his 10 points. His team
took a 20-7 flrst-period lead and
coasted home. The Barons pressed
the Johnnies all the way, but
couldn't recover from that opening
handicap.
Johnny defenses particularly were
tight in the second frame and only
Mike Bollo of the Barons was able
to count with a field goal and foul
shot as st. Johns increased its edge
to 1910 at intermission. Tom Fan
non led Cadet offenses in the third
period, during which the Barons
made a slight dent in st. Johns
lead. It was too late to amount to
much. The Johnnies carried 1920
lead into the final. George wound up
with 18 points for the evening.
Fannon was runnerup for individ-
ual honors with IL points while both
Ken Poerstel and Fred Genau of the
Barons tailed 7.
Pantos Gets 81 Points.
Hottest scoring exhibited so far in
the tourney was that of CentrapS
Jim Pantos in the final. He set a
31-point record, 13 of them coming
in the first period when the Vikings
gained 1873 edge over George
Washington. The Presidents never
we're able to overcome that lead, al
though they made a valiant come
back during the second period. Billy
Smith led a surge that pulled them
to within points at one time, but
Hal Sponsler and Jack Stringer
counted at an opportune time for
the Vikings to give them a 1921
halftime lead.
The Vikings again were hot in the
third period, Pantos and Sponsler
leading a 21-point attack that gave
Central a 50-3S edge to carry into
the final Again the Presidents
almost caught them. Jack Dohner Of
the Alexandria club led this late
surge, getting four field goals and
charity throw to make it close, but
time ran out on the Presidents be-
fore they could complete thei1
A11a