The Northwest times. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1947-1955, 1948-02-25
Whip High-TOuted Cathay, 57-25;
Mercury Five Surprises Fans to Win
Consolation; H. S. Tops Girl Sextets
VICTORS SNARE
SECOND LEG OF
3-YEAR TROPHY

The second leg of the beautiful
perpetual trophy given
by THE NORTHWEST TIMES as
a grand prize in the newspapers
second annual Northwest Nisei In
Basketball Tournament
was acquired by Coach Stan Kari
komis hustling Tokuda Drug quin-
tet last Sunday afternoon before a
full house in the Buddhist Audi
torium
Playing cool, deliberate,
sharp-breaking game and en-
ploying crafty, tightly-knit
zone defense, Tokuda's halted
the highly-touted Cathay Post
1876 five, current leader in the
NVC circuit, by a 1928 count in
the championship struggle.
The Chinese from the King ST.
area, who had trimmed Tokuda's
in two previous meetings in NVC-
LEAGUE encounters, were a tired,
weary band of hoop warriors when
the game was finished. At half
time, they were ahead, 1914, and
N the early phase of the last half
they enjoyed a seemingly comfort
able four-point lead. But then, the
weight of too many games" told
on the slippery and wiry bodies of
sn-stars Al Mar and Phil Mar
Hing. both of whom are starters on
he Collins fieldhouse team which
is entered in the Northwest AAU
tournament.
Karikomi's C h G e S launched
their tedious task of trimming,
tieing and finally overcoming Ca
thay's lead midway in the second
half.
The Cathay battle cry was
"Wstch IT." but Shobo Fujii, Mote
Yasuda and Chuck Kinoshita
came through in fine fashion to
mark up for the twO-time cham
pions' pressing second-haf drive.
"77" was Isao Nishimura, who
easily was the most outstanding
man in TOkuda's championship
repeating effort.
Glen zee, springy Cathay for
ward, Gagged three two-pointers in
the first half but was held to q
stingy field goal in the last half
zee was Cathay's top bucket-earn-
err with 8 points
Cathay's chances of retaliatine
at Tokuda's strong push in the last
half were msrred during the clos
ing minutes of the game when
Phil Mar Hing, the clever center
was ousted by the referee for five
penalties.
TOkuda's entered the champ
iOnship finals by whipping Port
land Stars, 1918, and South End
Merchant Reds, 1926. and Ca
thay by beating Ontario, 31-2S,
and Mercury, 1924.
Mercury, the peoples choice"
had the fans going with its fast
passing, quick-breaking attack, anc
literally outran its opponents tt
capture the consolation champion
ship.
Mercury, drilled to the minute
on a running Offense, extinguish-
ed the spark out Of the Portland
| Stars in the consolation finals, 40
to 81. The Seattle youths, paced
by brilliant Ray Otani in the
first half and lOng-shOt artist
George KOzu in the second half,
outfOught their taller opponents
throughout the last period. Gay
Chin. Shig SakamOtO and Mick
ey Tamiyasu, the latter Portland's
number one point-winner, kept
up a threatening barrage of shots
for the losers.
Portland led, 1917, at the hall
but Mercury summoned its spec,
in the final drive to win.
Mercury was brackcted into tn
consolation finals via this route
defeated Beacon Cleaners (Spo
kane). 22-19. lost to Cathay Pos
1856. 1924, tripped South End Mer
chant Reds. 24-18. Portland Star
lost to Tokuda Drug. 1918, dump
ed Portland Old-Timers, 35-1t
nosed out Ontario, 1924.
Main Drug was mems consola