Evening star., 1948-02-13
Western and Central ,
Eastern, Tech Clash
In Armory Twin Bill
By GEORGE Huber

A cool, level-headed player Is an
asset to any basket ball team and
that's what Eastern High has in Sal
De Giorgi. Sal is the boy who runs
things. He grabs the rebounds, sets
up the plays and does fair bit of
scoring.
The development of De Giorgi as
an all-around schoolboy athlete in
the last three years has been nice to
watch. He's good at anything you
can name-football, baseball or bas-
ket ball-and it's all because he has
learned to control his temper. When
Sal first started to draw attention
as high school athlete it was be-
cause of his temperament. 1t wasn't
a bit unusual to see Sal in an argu-
ment with officials or opposing play
ers and there were number of
times in past years when his coach
had to pull him out of the game to
keep minor troubles from growing
into big ones.
Now Sal is coolest when things
are hottest; he's a clutch player
who can be counted on to keep
things running smooth when the
game is toughest. And he's one of
the reasons Easterns Ramblers are
in the thick of the title fight in
the District public high basket ball
series. One of the big games in
today's four tilts at the Armory is
tonight's windup between Eastern
and Tech. A win for Eastern would
get it over the hump toward a place
in the title playoffs, while loss
definitely would eliminate Tech.
De Giorgi Stabilizes Eastern.
Eastern is favorite, largely be-
cause it has De Giorgi to run things
out on the floor for Coach Bobby
Hart. Not to be overlooked, how
ever, is the extra scoring punch sup
piled by Francis Wesley, who makes
a good combination with De Giorgi
in grabbing for rebounds, Johnny
Brown and Joe Graves. Tech isn't
a pushover by far. A team that in
cludes such players as Buddy Wick
ers, Paul Pacini and Henry Houck
is dangerous all the time. If Tech
is eliminated tonight, it will be the
first time it hasn't been in the play
offs since Dutch Usilaner took over
basket ball coaching there in 1912.
The opener of tonight's twin bill
at 8 o'clock between Central and
Western also is important, giving
the schoolboys perhaps their best
double-header to date and one
which may attract their best crowd.
Western, an early-season hot-shot,
is on the brink Of elimination and
will be fighting to retain its mathe-
maticai chance of getting in the
playoffs. It's chances depend on
whether Waynce Brizendine, who
slumped to 3 points last week, can
return to scoring form. That I'M
expectedly was low for one of the
city's best players who in earlier
series games had scored IA, IA, IL
and 18 points. He'll need help from
some of the others if the Red
Raiders hope to beat Central, how
ever. The Vikings, led by Hal
Sponslor, Bob johnson, Ross Keith
and Jim Pantos, have turned out to
be the highest scoring outfit in the
loop with 221 points in five games.
st. Johns, Chamberlain Clash.
This afternoons twin bill also was
promising, with Anacostia playing
Roosevelt in the opener and Wilson
tangling with Coolidge in the sec
ond. Wilson particularly needed a
win to stay in the race.
There are several other attractive
schoolboy tilts on today's schedule,
one of the best being tonight's clash
between st. Johns, loser of only one
game in 16 starts, and Chamberlain,
playing at Eastern gym at 8 o'clock.
Chamberlain, winner of eight in II
starts, will have some extra help
from Steve Manos, all-high at Gen.
trail for two years, who enrolled
there this month.
George Washington High is play
ing Lane at Charlottesville tonight
and is favored to win and lock up
the Northern Virginia championship.
An interesting intercounty tilt is
Bladensburg at Bethesda, 7:30 pm,
Bladensburg is one of the best in
Prince Georges County, while Be-
thesda already. has taken the Mont
gomery County title.