Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-12-28
Invaders, YET 10 Lose
Ito an Eastern Club,
Make LoneD. T.. Stand

Beaten III i've VI GllciI ldoG SCNCl
games, the Washington Caps will
try tonight to whip the Syracuse
Nationals, leaders of the Eastern
Division of the National Basket
ball Association - something nc
other club in the Eastern Divi-
sion has been able to do.
Tonight's game at Uline Arena
starting at $3.50 o'clock will mark
the only appearance here OF the
Nationals, winners Of % of &c
games so far this season and 9
shoo-in for the division champion
ship.
The Caps. walloped last night
at Rochester, 96-72. have beer
eager for a crack at Syracuse fol
a long time. Washington. along
with other Eastern Division teams
feels that Syracuse has no right
to the lead in a division while II
plays a schedule different from
that Of other teams in the same
group.
Schedule Is Bungled.
Because of the bungling of MIA
headquarters the Nationals are
playing most of their games
against admittedly weaker West
ern Division teams. They meet
Eastern and Central teams only
twice each.
OF Syracuse's % victories, Il
have come at the expense of Wes-
tern Division teams-four against
Denver, three each against Ander,
son, Sheboygan and Try-City ane
two each against Indianapolis ane
Waterloo.
The Caps have had only two
games against Western clubs 81
far, winning one and losing one.
It is the Central Division which
offers the most rugged test and ir
that environment, the Caps have
won 6 and lost 8. Syracuse is ever
in four games.
Despite any advantage it may
have in the scheduling the fact
remains that Player-Coach A
Cervi's crew would do all right ir
anybody's league. Even the Caps
who saw the Mats whip New York
earlier this season, admit Cervi has
a great club.
Schayes Is Big Gun.
Big point-maker for the team
is Adolph Schayes, 6-foot 7-incl
220-pound center, who set a New
York U. scoring record in l947-4s
with 315 points in q games
Schayes is averaging more thar
Is points game this season.
Bullet Bill" Gabor. former
Syracuse U. star and standing
only SILL, is another man the
Caps will have to watch tonight
along with Cervi. who made the
National Basketball Leagues all
star team and was voted coach OF
the year last season.
Also playing with the Nationals
tonight will be Ray Corley, all
District star from Georgetown
University. Corley was the Hoyas
second-high scorer behind Tom
my O'Keefe last year.
Other members of the Mats in
clude Alex Hannum, Paul Sey-
mour, John Macknowski, Ed
Peterson. George Ratkovicz, Fuzzy
Levane and Leroy Chollet.
The Caps may not have enough
steam to stave of the Mats to-
night. It will be their fourth
game in as many nights and their
seventh in the last eight. SYRIA
cuse has been resting since Sun
day.
Caps Wheeze in Stretch.
The Caps tagged in the stretch
last night at Rochester. They
got of to a poor start, scoring
only three field goals in 10 shots
in the first period. which ended
with the Royals ahead, 25-7.
A sellout crowd of more thar
1900 watched Rochester roll tt
a 1918 advantage midway in the
second period before the Caps
began to connect. Leo Kat
kaveck and Fred Scolari helped
white the advantage to 1921 at
intermission. The Caps came
within five points of the Royals
twice in the third period before
fading.
A total of 60 personal fouls were
called. SO against Washington
The Caps also had three technical
fouls called against them. Car
Player Coach Bob Feerick was
put out of the game by Referee
Sid Borgia in the fourth period
for protesting the officiating.
For the Royals it was the 18th
straight home-f1oor victory ant
the 18th in Is starts this season
Washington. g. F. p Rochester. 6. F. P