Evening star., 1952-02-06
Tech In, Four Teams
CONTINUE Fight for
Title PIayoff Spots
By Brian Bell, il.

Two favoriteS and pair OF
dark horses remain for the stretch
run for places in the interhigh
four-team basketball playoffs.
This entry does not include
Tech, .odds-on choice for the
title, which clinched a playof
spot yesterday by breezing past
Roosevelt, 59-43, in the second
game Of double header at Tech.
Coolidge kept very much in the
running by beating Wilson, So
So, before o crowd Of $500 in
the opener.
With only q little over two
weeks remaining before the cham
pionship derby. Coolidge and
Roosevelt, solid choices at the sea-
sons start, are left to battle in
the stretch with surprising West
ern and Wilson.
Anacostia, Eastern ON Brink.
OF the nine teams entered at
the start of the long race, Bell
and Chamberlain have already
been eliminated. Anacostia and
Eastern have three losses and
still must face Tech so. barring |
an upset. they probably won't bel
in the playoffs.
AnacoStia and Eastern could
sneak into a tie for playon spot
even if they wind up with four
losses, but this seems unlikely.
This leaves four teams very
much in contention with the dis
tinct possibility present that they
will finish in a hoto-finish at
the end Of the regular season in
10 days. Important battles on the
program are Wilson-Roosev
Friday; Western Eastern, next
Tuesday, and Roosevelt Coolidge,
February u.s..
Roosevelt and Coolidge, both
with key lettermen returning, are
where they were expected to be-
in contention for a play-od spot
but Western and Wilson, missing
last years stars, have surprised by
lasting this long and may still be
around when the championship
elimination event begins.
Coolidge Wins Uphill.
Yesterday, Coolidge overcame
an 11-point second period deficit
and a seven-point half time dis
advantage to beat Wilson. The
Colts trailed, 1924, to start the
third period. but went into full
court press and after only two
minutes trailed by two points. Bob
johnson, who was even a bigger
hero later. tied it at 1899. The
Colts Ardie Baker, who led his ;
team with 10 points, dropped in a
one-hander to put Coolidge in
front. 41-39, but Charlie Chris
tianSenis shot tied the count at
41-41 at the end of the third {
period. 3
The final quarter was a battle
all the way and with Coolidge
leading by only one point after \
Charlie Kimball's set shot for VIII
son and less than a minute to p
play, johnson came through. The
substitute center hooked one in Is
to make the score. 56-53 and with !
As seconds remaining he scored Z
again to clinch the verdict. IS
Colts Do About Face. y
Coolidge was badly out-hustledl /.
In the first half. Christensen and
6-foot-6 Swede Bjourson con-
trolled the boards for Wilson and !.
Lonnie Herzbrun sparked the out
side attack.
In the final periods, the Colts e,
were different team. The press :
harried the Tigers into many er- :
rors and Baker. Carmello Pine and
Bob Harrison began to find the
range from outside. The Colts
improved rebound efforts made q
big difference in their rally. +,
Christensen, who had played /.
one game and practiced only once !
since being sidelined for three !
weeks with back injury. was the !
afternoons outstanding player. ,
He scored 10 points (Herzbrun
got 18)-and was a defensive ,
gtandout. |,
The opening game was the same
old story-Tech winning without
q fight. The Trainers took a 34-13l
lead at the half and held a 30 /,
point advantage at the three :
quarter mark. The Riders played
good ball in the final period. hold :
ing Tech to three points and scor-
ing rapidly themselves but the
outcome was never in doubt.
AS usual. Snookie Herman and !
Bin Breen, led the Trainers tol !
their 29th straight victory in twoli
years and their 14th this season. !
Breen scored 10 points and Ker-
nan II while Joe Cav chipped in
with 10.