December 13

## 1919

**Syracuse Herald**- All-Syracuse To Clash With Utica Quintet

Fast State League Quintet Will Appear Here Next Wednesday Night

Arrangements have been completed for the Utica basketball quintet of the New York State League to appear here next Wednesday night at the State Armory for a game with the All-Syracuse court tossers. This contest was arranged following the defeat of the Owasco Canoe Club of Auburn at the hands of the Y.M.H.A. quintet of this city Thursday night at the Armory. Syracuse was originally scheduled to play the Auburn five, which was cancelled following their defeat. When the locals lineup against Utica it will give the Syracuse fans an opportunity to judge the strength of the team. Two games have been played by the Syracuse basket tossers which were won with ease.

## 1946

**Elmira Star Gazette**- Syracuse Favored Over Bisons Here Tomorrow

If such a thing is possible in an exhibition, the Syracuse Nationals must be classed as favorites over the Bisons in the Saturday night engagement which will be the feature attraction of another basketball doubleheader at the State Armory. Though the Bisons contrived to whip the Nats by some 12 points in an early-season league meeting, the Buffalo outfit has dropped five of its last six pro encounters including four straight on a recent western trip and an exhibition in Rochester last night. The Nationals have been doing much better and have won a pair of league engagements and an exhibition in the last week. That includes a 20-point triumph over the Detroit Gems yesterday. The only victory for Nat Hickey's young club was achieved over the Anderson Packers, another NBL team, at Buffalo Tuesday when Stan Waxman and Pop Gates managed to tie the game in regulation time and then a basket by Bob Sims won in a five minute extra period. Waxman, who has been a high scorer in the games at the Elmira Armory, was also top Bison in that contest with 17 points. Gates had 13 while Don Otten was again limited to a meager eight. Otten has had a big comedown from his collegiate days when holding him below 20 points was an achievement. Main reason has been not the better opposition but the way Hickey is using the big fellow--as a pivot for breaking plays with no option to shoot. The personnel of the Syracuse team is composed of largely local talent and has come along slowly in its first year of NBL competition. As has been noted, however, they have improved and a hot time should be had by both clubs tomorrow evening. On the Nats are Les Rothman, of LIU; Johnny Gee 6-9 baseball pitcher who has been a pro cage star for many years; Jerry Rizzo, the NBL scoring leader from Fordham; Mike Novak, a recent purchase, and a pro-wise 6-10 center; and Bob Nugent, Stretch Piro, John Meehan and John Moiseichik, all local players.

**Syracuse Herald Journal**- Nats Score 4th Victory In Loop Play

Continuing to show improvement, the Syracuse Nationals basketball team displayed its best form of the season in registering a 60 to 40 decision over Detroit at the Jefferson St. Armory last night. Jerry Rizzo led the Nats with 15 points but it was the floor work of the club that most impressed the fans. Novak, Gee and Sharkey maintained control of the ball off the boards for a major portion of the game and the playmaking of Nelmark and Nugent kept the Detroit defense befuddled. It was the fourth victory against 11 defeats for the Nats in National League competition. Sharkey put Syracuse into a 4 to 0 lead at the outset by scoring two quick baskets on passes from Novak and from that point on Syracuse was never headed. With only one minute of the half remaining Detroit pulled up to a 28 to 27 deficit. Nelmark then caged his only basket, which with Campbell’s foul point, completed the half with Syracuse holding a two-point edge. The Detroit threat was quickly killed in the opening minutes of the third period when Gee, Novak, Sharkey and Nugent hit for five baskets and a 40 to 28 lead. From then on it was a romp.

SYRACUSE: Chaney, lf (1-0-2), Nelmark, (4-0-8), Gee, rf (5-0-10), Novak, c (1-2-4), Rizzo, lg (3-9-15), Sharkey, rg (6-1-13), Nugent (3-2-8) TOTALS (23-14-60). DETROIT: Latter, lf (0-0-0), Scheffler (1-8-10), Czarnecki, rf (2-0-4), O’Connor (3-1-7), Juntinen (0-0-0), Dykstra, c (2-0-4), Parry (3-0-6), Campbell, lg (1-1-3), McCarthy, rg (2-2-6) TOTALS (14-12-40).
Score at halftime- Syracuse 30, Detroit 28. Officials- Kenney and Ortner.

## 1954

**Syracuse Herald Journal**- 4 ‘Tough Ones’ For Nats

Cervi Is Aroused After Setbacks

Disappointed at the 96-87 loss to Philadelphia and faced with four tough games this week, Coach Al Cervi of the Nationals today planned drastic changes in his basketball lineup to “shake the club from its lethargy.” “It seems some of our fellows are too content,” said the Nats mentor. “We blew two games we should have won over the weekend simply because we were outhustled. Against New York tomorrow night I may start John Kerr, Dick Farley, Connie Simmons, Earl Lloyd and any one of the other five as a fifth man.” After Tuesday’s game with the Knicks at Gotham, the Nats face New York in Boston Wednesday and then play a home and home series with Minneapolis this weekend with the first game on the Lakers floor Saturday night. Syracuse has not beaten Minneapolis this season. As a result of the last two setbacks Syracuse’s Eastern Division lead has been trimmed to 1½ games, but second place Philadelphia has lost two less games than Syracuse. Boston, in fourth place, is but 2½ games behind the Nats. Coach Ed Gottlieb’s charges received unexpected help from the bench in completely outplaying the Nats during the second half. Zeke Zawoluk dropped in 15 points after intermission and Joe Graboski tallied 11 after replacing Paul Arizin when the later fouled out of the fray. Syracuse blew a 50-40 lead as it went four minutes without a point in the third period and Philadelphia, inspired by the rally simply outhustled the Nats throughout the entire fourth period. Missed foul points at strategic spots also contributed to the loss. Behind 76-73 with six minutes to play the Nats lost all momentum after Red Rocha failed to convert two charity tosses and Graboski added a Warrior bucket. Jack George stole the ball and added an easy layup and hit again seconds later after taking a court long “sleeper play” pass to give Philadelphia a 10-point bulge and seal Syracuse’s doom. In the second half rally the Warriors sank 21 of 42 field goal attempts for a 50 percent average and finished with 34 buckets in 80 tries. Neil Johnston was the visitors pacesetter with 23 points and was joined in double figures by Graboski, Zawlouk and Arizin. Dolph Schayes with 32 led Syracuse end game scorers. Ronnie Costello of Minoa was a defensive thorn in the side of the Nats and he also led all players in the game with seven assists. A turnout of 2,811 fans were in attendance as the eight-game home winning streak of the Nats came to a halt.

PHILADELPHIA: Graboski (9-1-19), Arizin (6-2-14), Davis (1-0-2), Johnston (6-13-25), Zawoluk (5-5-15), George (3-2-8), Finn (1-3-5), Costello (3-1-7), Murray (0-1-1) TOTALS (34-28-96). SYRACUSE: Schayes (10-12-32), Rocha (3-2-8), Simmons (5-1-11), Lloyd (4-4-12), Kerr (1-0-2), Seymour (5-3-13), Kenville (1-0-2), King (0-1-1), Farley (2-2-6) TOTALS (31-25-87). Score at halftime- Syracuse 45, Philadelphia 38.