Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-13
High Schools Settle
Be1hs in PIayoffs
With Unusual Speed
By Dick sIoy

What had been considered
the best-balanced Interhigh bas-
ketball league in recent years.
especially after strong early
showings by Bell and Chamber
lain, now is a cut-and- dried af-
fair among Tech, Wilson, Ana
costa and Eastern - with the
final day of the league schedule
still a week away.
Until yesterdays two double
headers at Tech, only the Train
ers had clinched a berth In the
championship playoffs and seven
other teams still had a crack at
the remaining three places. But,
speculation ended with the results
of the first three games yester-
day when Eastern squeezed by
Western, $3.50; Anacostia did
the same to Chamberlain, 76-74,
and Wilson disposed of Coolidge,
$3.50. In the final game last
night, Tech Sewed up first place
and ended its league schedule
by overtaking Roosevelt, 65-61.
The memories of several Dis
trict coaches were tested but
none could recall a previous In
terhigh season in which all four
pIayoff teams were decided be-
fore the final day of the league
schedule. All that remains to be
determined in next Fridays four
games is which team will play
Tech in the opening round of
the championships on Febru-
airy Is.
Play for Title February 81.
Should Eastern, Wilson and
Anacostia remain tied for Sec
end place liter next Fridays
action. Techs opponent will be
chosen by a flip of the coin and
the two other teams will play |
in the second firSt-round game. |
The winners of the two games
will meet for the championship |
the following night, Saturday, |
February 81.
The four games scheduled for
next Friday pit Wilson against
Chamberlain. Anacostia against |
Bell, Eastern against Roosevelt /
and Coolidge against Western.
1t was Wilson's defeat of
Coolidge in the third game yes
terday which sealed the playoff |
situation. The Colts mathema-
tical chances were ruined with
their fourth defeat.
Wilson used its zone defense
and fast-breaking attack to run
away from Coolidge from the
beginning. Lew Luce of Wilson,
the games high scorer with 20 |
points, was elected from the
game early in the fourth quarter
after a scuffle with Jack Silas of
Coolidge, who also was thrown
out.
Officials Halt FracaS.
Luce, leading scorer in the
league. was fouled by Silas as
the Wilson sophomore went in
for layup at Is seconds of the
fourth period. Luce stormed back
and showed Silas, Silas threw a
punch and both were thumbed
out. Referee Don RoSSi elected
Slas for an intentional foul and
Referee Orrel Mitchell claimed
Luce returned the punch causing
his disqualification. Some of the
fans tried to get on the floor but
school officials quickly quelled
the disturbance.
Roosevelt almost pulled the up
set Of the Interhigh season in
the nightcap but wilted in the
final minutes as Tony DiChiac-
chic led Techs closing surge.
Tech made good on 81 of 80 foul
shot tries to overcome Roose-
velt's 1913 edge in goals. Ken
Erickson of Roosevelt led the
scoring for both teams with %
points, his best of the season,
while DiChiacchio got 20.
The opener yesterday after
noon saw Eastern overcome a
1910 deficit at the end of the
first quarter and deal Western
its seventh league defeat. Gene
Brown broke a 1888 tie with two
foul shots with 80 seconds to go.
Frank Cohen's 81 points, high
for the game, and Charlie Folks
rebounding work kept Western in
contention. Joe McHan of East
ern got 19 points, while Brown
and Folk each sank IA.
AnacoStia also had to rally for
a 2-point victory in the second
game, as Zeke Zirkle made a
Jump shot with 2 seconds to go
to beat Chamberlain. Bill Rice
and Russ Williams, who got "a
and 81 points for the losers, and
Zirkle and Dick Butler of Ana
costa put on a sizzling scoring
duel near the end. Buffers jump
shot tied the soore with Is sec
onds to go. Zirkle'S SO points
were the second highest of the
league season.
Bell, the Interhigh's other
team, went outside the league for
a 51-31 victory over the Capitol
Pages at Wilson. Ray Windsor
led the winners with 10 points.