Evening star., 1953-11-19
Kentucky Looks Fit
For Cage Comeback;
N. {. State Tough
By the Associafed Press

'''~'-~-0~'~'N~
NEW YORK, Nov. 19.-The
University of Kentucky, a name
long synonymous with collegiate
basketball, appears ready to re-
gain it's place among the Ma
tion's elite after one-year exile.
Adolph Rupp, whose 23-year
record at Kentucky adds to All
victories and 81 losses, frames
the outlook in eight carefully
chosen words:
THE university will have its
usual representative team"
Rupp adds, with a straight
face. that he isn't sure how the
years layoff (Kentucky was
suspended for one year by the
Southeastern Conference) has
affected his veterans. He ad-
mits, however, that "our fresh
men and SophomoreS seem to
have come along faster with the
extra practice than they would
have if we'd had regular sched-
ule."
Kentucky Loaded.
Despite Rupp'S caution, the
advance dope is that Kentucky is
loaded-as, usual. The team
that won four National Invita-
ton tournament titles in the last
eight years will be headed by
three veterans, Cliff Hagan,
Frank Ramsey and Lou TSio-
ropoulos. This trio is capable
of brewing considerable misery
for it's "a opponents.
Some believe it could become
one of the greatest outfits since
the 1948 Kentucky team which
shared the Olympic champion
ships. Besides the three veterans,
the squad includes lettermen Bill
Evans, Gayle Rose and Willie
Rouse. Among the sophomores,
at least four appear to be out
standing. They are Jerry Bird,
6-foot-6; Phil Grawemeyer, g.
foot-7, and Guards Linville
Pickett and Jess Curry.
Kentucky will not be the
South's only powerhouSe. North
Carolina State, despite the loss
of IA prospects through in
eligibility, figures to be at least
as good as last year. The Wolf
pack of 1858 won 26 of 80 but
lost the Southern Conference
tournament to Wake Forest by
one point. It is a strong favorite
to capture the Atlantic Coast
Conference crown.
Six Lettermen Back.
Six lettermen are back includ-
ing Mel Thompson, who scored
536 points, and Dave Gotkin, an
All-South guard. In addition,
Coach Everett Case has a bevy
of f1ne-looking sophomores who
could move en- masse into the
starting lineup. The best Of
these is Ronnie Shavlik, 6-foot-7,
who averaged 81 points a game
as a freshman.
Western Kentucky" says q |
communique from Bowling Green,
KY, should have the best team
assembled by Ed Diddle in his
33 years as head coach"
Basis for this boast is that |
four out of the five starters are
back for their senior year. Like
all Diddle's teams this will be |
one that can run, shoot and
score, and it will be rich in
experience as well. Probable
starters will be Tom Marshall
and Dan King at forward, Art |
Spoelstra, 6 foot 91a, at center,
and Lynn Cole and Dyke Vest
at guard.
LSU Strong in Southeast.
Louisiana State is expected to
give Kentucky a stiff battle for
the Southeastern Conference
title. Coach Harry Rabenhorst
has Bobby Petit, 6 foot 9, and
all his other starters back. LSU
is the defending champion. A
good long shot is Tulane, which
also gets it's 1928 starters
back.
In the new Atlantic Coast Con-
ference, Maryland, banking on
Gene Shue, and Wake Forest,
with high-Scoring Dick Hemric,
are the best bets to challenge
N. C. State. In the old Southern
Conference, it looks like a three
way battle among West Virginia,
Furman and George Washing
ton. Furman, the No. / offensive
team last year, has the brilliant
Frank Selvy back. CIV is
loaded with veterans and West
Virginia is a fast, tall, good
scoring outfit.
Eastern Kentucky, defending
champion, should challenge
Western Kentucky in the Ohio
Valley Conference. Roanoke and
Mount st. Mary'S should vie for
the MaSon-Dixon Conference
title and Louisville appears the
strongest of the major Southern
Independents.