Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-29
TOP SCORER IN VIRGINIA
Hewitt, AnnondoIe Ace,
In Last Game Tonight
BY DICK TIERNEY

John Grinnell, Annandale
High School basketball coach. is
in the process of revamping his
team. The reason-he is losing
Bruce Hewitt, his take charge
guy and leading scorer.
Hewitt, top scorer in Virginia
with 1913 average for nine
games. will finish his eight
semesters of eligibility in to-
nights game with Fairfax at
Annandale.
Realizing the loss of player
of Hewitt's caliber means trou-
BILE, Grinnell has been working
on a more deliberate game in
volving two key players, George
Elgin and Dave Cruden.
I'VE are going to miss Hewitt's
scoring punch and floor leader
ship" Grinnell said. But Elgin
has shown leadership in several
instances and I'm sure he will be
able to pick up the slack there"
George has plenty of scrap
and a nice jump shot," Grinnell
explained. Dave is a big boy
(6-foot-5) and we plan to take
advantage of his height under
the basket"
Averaging 14.5 Points
Elgin, a 6-foot-2 junior, has
already proved that he can
score. When Mount Vernon and
Mclean dobule-guarded Hewitt,
Elgin took over" scoring 20
points against Mount Vernon
and 26 against Mclean. He is
averaging las points per game.
There are many similarities
between Elgin and Hewitt. Both
were born and grew up in the
Washington area, learning their
basketball on asphalt courts.
Hewitt learned his fundamentals
from Joe Hensley, a former
Washington High great who
coached him in the eighth grade
at George Mason school in Alex
andria. Elgin said friend of his,
Denny Knight, got him inter-
ested in basketball and taught
him the fundamentals at Fran
coma. "Mr. Grinnell is carry
ing on from there" Elgin said
with smile.
It's different story with
Cruden. Up until last year Dawes
primary interest was football.
Now it seems to be swinging
over to basketball. IT began to
realize that my height would be
of more value to me in basket
ball than in football" the 200
pound junior said.
Last year Cruden played on
the junior varsity, but appeared
in only four games before nv
broke his ankle. This year he
has been playing with the var
sity and is improving rapidly.
Grinnell said that Dave has "im-
proved 300 per cent since Christ
mas"
Grinnell has great confidence
in Dave. who was born in Wash
ington, but has lived in Florida,
Louisiana and Maryland.
1--WE are going to start work.
ing the ball in more to Dave un-
der the basket" Grinnell said.
Does Well Under Basket
Dave has done well when he
was under the basket this season.
He hasn't scored many points,
but he has a shooting average
of about SO per cent. Cruden.
who feels that the major task
of filling Hewitt's shoes will
fall to Elgin. intends to pitch in
and work hard. "I'll be in there
rebounding and scoring" he said.
"They won't be able to pull a
man of of me to double up on
George"
Grinnell has not set a start
ing lineup thus far. outside of
Hewitt and Elgin. However, he
expects that by playing de
liberate game" he will be able to
decide on a regular starting five
in about two weeks. He hopes
that Hill Walker, a senior trans
fer student who averaged 1873
points per game at Rappahan-
mock last year, will come into his
own. Grinnell also is high on
Jerry Gable, a sophomore who
has shown a lot of promise.
The Atoms, with a 5-4 season
record, will be pulling for Hewitt
to have a good night in his
farewell game tonight. which
will be No 10 for him and make
him eligible for State scoring
honors. Currently, Bruce holds
. slim edge over Bucky Keller
Of Newport News, who is averag-
ing 1871 points per game.
Come what may. the spirit Of
the Annandale team probably is
best summed UP by Elgin, who
said, II don't think anybody
can I'LL Bruce's shoes. but we're
sure going to Try.