3 January 1961

**Utica Observer**- Big O's Foul Shot Saves The Day For Royals

Nats Lose Thriller By A Point

Oscar (Big O) Robertson dropped in 14 field goals and 14 foul shots last night, with his 14th foul shot giving the Cincinnati Royals a 126-125 decision over the Syracuse Nats. The battle between these two NBA rivals, the first of its kind to be played in the Utica Memorial Auditorium, attracted 3,442 paid admissions. It was tied 21 times before Oscar came through with two free throws with 27 seconds to go to apply the clincher. The Nats tried to win it with a field goal but just couldn't connect in those final hectic moments. The Nats outscored the Royals, 30-25, in the last quarter, in which the score was tied seven times. Hal Greer gave the Nats a 125-124 lead with about a minute to go. Then Johnny Kerr fouled Robertson and Oscar calmly dropped in those crucial foul shots. Robertson, the Cincinnati All-American, was the night's high scorer with 42 points with Jack Twyman tallying 33 for the winning cause. Wayne Embry, who fouled out midway in the final period, was the third best for the Royals in scoring with 19. Schayes, with 27, Kerr with 22 and Greer with 24 were the top scorers for the Nats, who dropped their seventh game in their last nine starts. It was the 20th victory of the season for the Royals, running their record to 20-23. Last season Cincinnati won only 19 games and lost 36. The Royals, who ran into transportation difficulties and were hungry and weary, acted just the opposite on the court, breaking up the Nats fast-break attack time and time again and outrunning the Syracusans many times. The Royals led at the end of each period, 39-34, 66-64 and 101-95, but the Nats staged stirring comebacks to knot the score in each of the periods. The first session was fairly close. Greer started the second canto with two foul shots to make it 39-36 and Robertson and Twyman racked up nine straight points to give the Royals a 12-point margin, with three minutes gone. Barney Cable and Dick Barnett then came on the scene for the Nats and staged a two-man war to send the Nats ahead 52-51 in the next three minutes. The score was tied three more times in this period and just before the half ended Embry dropped in two fouls to make it 66-64. Hub Reed, Embry and Robertson clicked on successive field goals in the third period to make it 74-65 but Schayes narrowed the gap with his foul shooting and it was soon 78-78. Robertson and the rugged Embry clicked with field goals and with 2:36 to go in the third the Royals had a 13-point edge with the score, 96-83. This was their biggest lead of the night. Greer, Barnett and Schayes brought the score to 101-95 as the teams entered the final period. Barnett and Swede Halbrook started the final session with field goals and after Embry tallied, Schayes dropped in two fouls to make it 103-103. With five minutes to go, the Nats led 115-113 and with 3:45 to go it was 119-119. Schayes sank a field goal with 1:14 to go and after Greer sent the Syracusans ahead with his foul. Oscar did his foul shooting, and it was all over.

* Jottings—Robertson did well on the foul line, getting 14 out of 16...Schayes didn't do too badly with 17-20. He surprised by missing two in a row in the first period...Each team had a player on the injured list. The were Win Wilfong of the Royals and Al Bianchi of the Nats...Schayes received the most applause when the players were introduced...Sid Borgia, the veteran referee, put on his usual sparkling show. He warned Alex Hannum regarding comments from the Nats' bench and the next time Alex got excited called a technical...Red Parton, Nats' publicity man, did the announcing, explaining the 24-second rule.

CINCINNATI: Bockhorn (3-1-7), Boozer (4-2-10), Davis (0-0-0), Embry (7-5-19), Farmer (1-2-4), Jordon (1-1-3), Reed (2-0-4), Robertson (14-14-42), Staverman (1-2-4), Twyman (12-9-33) TOTALS (45-36-126). SYRACUSE: Barnett (7-4-18), Cable (5-6-16), Costello (4-1-9), Gambee (1-0-2), Greer (9-6-24), Halbrook (1-1-3), Kerr (10-2-22), Roberts (2-0-4), Schayes (5-17-27) TOTALS (44-37-125).