Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-18
RaIIying Eagles,
St. Francis Gain
K. off Windup
By DICK STAY


caught fire in the middle of the
third quarter. erased a 13-point
deficit and toppled favored
Northeast Catholic of Philadel-
Iphia, 1856, in the semifinals OF
the knights of Columbus basket
ball tournament at Richie Coli
scum last night. A crowd OF
$500 saw the upset.
The victory put the Eagles into
today's CHI m pions hip f1nal
against st. Francis of Brooklyn
which rallied to beat st. AIMS
of New York, 1854. in the earlier
semifinal.
st. AIMS and Northeast play
for third place at 2 pm. today.
with the championship game
following at $3.50. The program
"opens at 1890 with the consola-
ton final between st. Johns and
North Catholic of Pittsburgh.
st. Johns, bumped from the
winners bracket by st. AIMS
Friday night, beat Mount st.
Joseph of Baltimore, 61-50, in
the first consolation game yes
terday afternoon. North Catholic
eliminated Benedectine of Rich
Imond, 72-45, in the other con-
ISOLATION game.
G0nzaga Falls Behind
Bucking superior height and
a cold shooting eye. Gonzaga fell
behind the Falcons late in the
first period, which ended at 30
i16 in favor of the Philadelphians.
The Eagles clicked for only six
points in the second period and
Itrailed by II at intermission as
6-foot-3 Tom Matan sat out most
of the quarter with three fouls.
Little John McColgan paced
,Northeast's fast break which put
the Falcons into a 41-28 COM
mand. Then Gonzaga tore open
the game with 10 straight points,
traded baskets with Mickey Nc
Neil four times early in the last
period and then forged ahead,
54-53, on a tap-in by Matan
with 3 minutes remaining.
Led by Matan. Tom McClos-
key and Denny Pekin, the
Eagles scored eight more points
before McColgan sank a pair of
foul shots in the last minute.
That was too late for the Phila-
delphia team.
Full Press Turns Tide
st. Francis turned on a full
court press early in the third
quarter to wreck an 11-point ad-
vantage by st. AIMS and gain
its second victory this season
over the tournaments defending
champions.
York Larese, last years out
standing player in this tourna-
ment, scored 10 points in the
first half--hitting nine of II
shots from the floor--and st.
) AIMS outscored its neighbor,
1872. just before halftime to
!, take a 1926 lead.
1t mounted to IL points before
ISt. Francis turned on the press.
list. AIMS came apart, surpris-
!Iingly, to mar an otherwise classy
game. The Brooklyn club scored
10 points in row, led by 6-foot-
IS Tom Stith, to take the lead
to stay at 50-43.
! st. AIMS committed "a personal
fouls to IA by st. Francis. and
the latter took advantage of the
difference to sink 81 of Al free
throws. st. AIMS outscored st.
Francis from the floor. 20 goals
to is, but got only "a chances
at the foul line and made IA.
Collins Gets II
: Big Jim Collins was the big
reason for the st. Johns victory
in the afternoon.
Collins. 6-foot-3 co-captain
with little Jim Mandes, scored II
points in playing slightly more
than three quarters and turned
in terrific rebounding and de-
fensive job as the Johnnies beat
i. the Gaels for the third time this
season.
Collins got rebounding help
from AL Comacho, Bob Fletcher
| and even 5-foot-7 Puddy Shee-
, han as the Johnnies opened a
24-point gap at the end of the
third period and coasted home