Evening star., 1950-01-29
Wi|d-Eyed
Fans Witness
Thrilling Battle
1853 Frosh Victory
Gives Georgetown
Perfect Evening
By MerreII WhittIesey

WaShingtonS favorite basketball
series set a new high in hysteria
last night when burly Frank Ala
gia drove in for an underhand lay
up with only II seconds to play
giving Georgetown a 68-to-66 tri-
umph over George Washington be-
fore 2,718 screaming spectators at
the Armory.
The maddening finish made it
a perfect evening for the Hoyas,
as their tall and terrific freshmen
previously had staged a last two
minute scoring spree that topped
the George Washington Frosh,
1868.
George Washington took
quick 60-54 lead with five minutes
to play, and then the fun began.
Big John Mazziotta, John Brown,
Tommy O'Keefe and Mazziotta
again scored in quick succession
for the Hoyas before the Colonials
could stop the rush.
With less than two and a half
minutes to play. Johnny Moffatt
of G. w. was fouled by Brown as
he drove to shoot and he drew two
fouls. The blond-haired ex-Tech
High courtman cody dropped both
shots to tie it at 62-all.
M0ffatt Fouled Twice.
Twice more Moffatt was fouled
and both times he made the fouls,
the last two minutes and one Sec
ond to play. If the foul had come
a second later, George Washing
ton would have earned the shot
plus possession of the ball.
With less than 80 seconds to
play G. w. regained the ball.
They raced pell-mell down court
and the hot-handed Art Cerra
tied it up at 66-all
G. WIS all court press didn't
work and Georgetown quickly
moved the ball past midcourt.
Here Alagia, who had been termed
Georgetown's most underrated
player by G. w. Coach Bill Rein
hart, drove in and with. a twist
ing underhand shot put english
on the ball and the winning bas-
ket was home.
The game was tied 28-all at
halftime. Georgetown's biggest
margin was 8-4 and the Colonials
were ahead at one time by five
points, at 27-22.
O'Keefe started the Hoyas with
foul shot and then one of his
patented sets made it 80. The
hoyas had 6-3 lead before CIV,
scored its first field goal at the
three-and-a-half minute mark, a
Jump shot by Moffatt. Mazziotta
tapped one in for Georgetown to
make it 8-4, but the next seven
points of the game were George
Washington's.
The Hoyas made only s out OF
II foul shots during the first half.
while G. w. made IL out Of IL,
McNiff scoring five straight.
FrOsh Set Fast Pace.
The pace of the freshman game
left the fans in a letdown state
before the varsity started.
Most of the boys on both teams
were high school rivals in the
New York Metropolitan area and
the rivalry was obvious in the
first half. There were several
square-offs and the entire squads
rushed to the court ready for
action at halftime following an
exchange of words. The little
Hoyas led, 27-25, at halftime.
Georgetown, with a tremendous
height advantage, started fast
in the second half, and with it's
big men controlling both back
boards ran up a lead that ranged
from six to nine points. 3.
But with its brilliant newcomer
from Jersey City, Tex Silverman.
setting the pace, the Colonials
kept dangerously close and mar
rowed the gap to 5O-45 with less
than 10 minutes to play. Here.
Bob Makatura, the midget of the
Dig Georgetown team at 5-feet-10.
re-entered the game and with
fancy ball handling and driving
(see GEORGETOWN, Page BAD