Evening star., 1955-01-31
Catholic League Race
Following Pattern Of
Previous Seasons
BY Bob Hanson
CATHOLIC LEAGuE sTANDINGs.

by bop Hnnson
Early in the season. the catfo-
lie League race shaped up as q
battle among the "big three
st. Johns. Gonzaga and Carroll.
with Georgetown Prep and
Maekin conceded the best
chances of rounding out the
four-team playoffs.
With the league season ap-
preximately half over, nothing
has occurred to alter the situa-
ton.
Gonzaga, defending champion,
took its fourth victory over a
league rival yesterday, defeating
Priory, s57-33. In the second
game of double header at De-
Matha High. st. Johns won its
third league game, disposing of
Georgetown Prep, $3.50, in the
opener.
But from here on in it gets
a little rougher. Sunday. Car
roll is host to st. Johns, and
on February %. Gonzaga and
st. Johns meet in one game
of holiday double -header.
Following Same Pattern.
Regardless of the outcome Of
these games, the "big three still
figure to emerge in good shape as
they can feed" of the weaker
teams. The dog fight among
Gonzaga, st. Johns and Carroll
will come in the playoffs.
I'VE thought earlier in the
season it would be a tougher
league" Coach Tommy Nolan OF
Gonzaga was saying yesterday.
But it's following the same
pattern as in previous years.
The only difference might be at
the end Of the playoffs"
Gonzaga and st. Johns each
had 6-1 league records last year
at the end of regular season
play, Gonzaga's only loss was
to st. Johns and the Cadets
lone defeat was by Carroll. In
the playoffs, st. Johns and
Carroll were defeated. with Con-
gaia beating st. Anthony in the
finals.
If, as Nolan said. the differ
ence this season might be at
the end of the playoffs, 1t could
be he has Carroll in mind.
I'VE lack that big man and
our defense suffers as q result"
Nolan said. "St. Johns has sew
eral tall boys it can use under
the boards and they'll make 1t
tough, but Dan O'Leary and
Frank Wightman of Carroll
have plenty of height, too. and
along with the shooting of Bill
Hessler they are rough
Stronger Bench Decides.
The Eagles defeated Carroll
by two points in their only
meeting, but Nolan, while not
counting out his team or st.
Johns, seems to think the Lions
might take 1t all.
Meanwhile, neither the Cadets
nor Eagles seem disposed to give
In to any of their league rivals.
judging by yesterdays perform
aflceS.
The Cadets were played on
almost even terms by Prep for
the first half. but q stronger
bench in later. stages of the game
made the eventual difference for
st. Johns. The Little Hoyas
were without the services of
Tony Carroll, 6-foot-3 sopho-
more out with a cold. Toward
the end Greg Didden and Bob
Ellis. each with four fouls
against them, were playing cail-
ti0usly. These factors kept Prep
from being on the offensive for
most of the game.
Didden managed 18 points to
pace his team. but the Cadets
still had too much artillery.
mainly Bob Talbot with 81
points. Jim Collins with l3 and
Jim (Bubbal Healy, the latter
playing but three periods, with
nine.
Gonzaga held quarter leads Of
1875, 28-12 and 47-24 over Priory.
Nolan emptied the bench at
that point. but Priory could
muster only nine points against
the Gonzaga reserves.
Ronnie Bennett with IA points
and Tom McCloskey with IL led
the Eagles scoring. Bob Clark
wound up with IL points, high
for Priory, before going out on
fouls with a few minutes left In
the game.