Evening star., 1948-01-24
Coolidge, Roosevelt,
Wilson and Central
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HIGH SCHOOL STANDINGS. /.
BY George Huber

All Of sudden it's anybody's race
In the District public high basket
ball series. The form sheet was dis
regarded completely yesterday when
the schoolboys played four games
at the Armory-two in the after
noon and two more at highland
turned in four upsets. Also 1t was
last nights games that figured to
be the close ones, but as it turned
out they were breezes for the win
ners, while the afternoon tits sup
piled those close and frended last
moments that make high school
basket ball the exciting thing 1t Is.
AS a result, five teams now are
tied for first place. including Roose-
velt and Wilson. who figured to be
along just for the ride this year.
Tech, picked as an outstanding con-
tender, is alone In the cellar.
2,645 See Night Games.
Coolidge started the parade Of
upsets, holding usually high-scoring
Anacostia In check and turning in
36-33 triumph in a wild finish.
In a similar wild finish Roosevelt
edged Tech, 1888, In the other
afternoon game. played before a
turnout of 1888. At night, with
2,645 on hand, Wilson romped in
front of Western, 1886. and Central
smothered Eastern, 1923. Until last
night 1t was Eastern and Wilson
breezing In front and getting set to
have it out between themselves for
the title.
Coolidge stopped Anacostia by
putting a crimp In Wally Warney's
scoring. Bobby Rohr and Bob Lam
grell gave him some close guarding
and limited him to 10 points, some
thing less than 80 per cent Of his
usual effectiveness. The Indians
carried a 27-24 lead into the last
quarter and held slim margin
until Don Eslin sank q layup only
80 seconds before the end to put
Coolidge in front, 34-33. With 10
seconds to go Jess Houston gave
the Colts insurance with another
field goal. Tom Boyle's three scores
in the. final helped Coolidge's late
drive, and he finished as high man
for the game with IA points.
Poor shooting from the foul line
hurt Tech in the second afternoon
game. Tech made only 8 of 27
charity tosses, while the Rough
Riders sank 8 of IA. The Maroons
had slight edge most of the way
until midway of the final when a
foul shot by Roosevelt's Bill Paugh
tied it at 25-all. Another free
toss by Billy Hibbs sent the Riders
ahead and they managed to outlast
the Maroons. Paugh's field goal in
the last 80 seconds put lock on
the game. Paugh had IA points
for individual high.
WhitcOmb Leads Scoring.
Wilson's Jack Whiteomb tossed in
four field goals in the first period to
help the Tigers take 14-7 lead
over Western. They steadily in
creased it thereafter, with Western
sadly of its usual shooting form
and unable to close the gap. The
man-for- defense used by the
Tigers this year is just as good as
the zones previously used by Coach
Tony Kupka's teams. 1t kept the
Red Raiders outside most Of the
time and forced them into long
shots that largely were unsuccess-
full. Whitcomb was high with Is
points.
In the final game, Central's
Vikings outdrove Eastern all the
way with a 1875 lead in the OPEN
ing frame that was enlarged to 1918
at halftime. The leader was Jim
Pantos, a speedy little dark-haired
boy who shoots as he drives in. He
was at his best last night and the
II points he registered moved him
from fourth to second place In the
individual scoring list with a Al
point total. Anacostias Warner
leads with At,