March 27, 1955

**Syracuse Herald American**- Celtics Defeat Nats In Overtime

Teams Clash In Hub Again Today

Boston- The Syracuse Nationals had a chance to wrap it up in three straight here yesterday, but lost an overtime, 100-97 verdict to the battling Boston Celtics so the teams renew their warfare this afternoon at the Arena. After trailing throughout the third period, the Nats caught up in the final quarter at 77-all and again at 79-all, finally going ahead 88-87 with 4:45 to play. But they couldn’t hold the advantage, eventually bowing in an extra five-minute session. The roaring crowd of 13,091 fans voiced the belief that the Celts finally have found the spark they need. For two unheralded players, Togo Palazzi and Don Barksdale, came off the bench to give the Beantowners relief when they appeared to be reeling from pressure in the first half. Then in the final going, Bob Cousy and his partner, Ed Macauley, produced the vaunted power for which they are noted. But it actually was as much a shooting lapse on the part of the Syracusans as Boston efficiency which finally settled affairs, and made necessary continuance of the best three-in-five game series here today. The Nats still lead, 2-1, and if a fifth test is necessary it will be in Syracuse Tuesday night. After the Nats had taken their 88-87 lead, Macauley retaliated with a basket but with 2:25 to play King tied it again at 89 on a free throw. Neither team could score the balance of the way and the Nats missed two golden opportunities in the last 40 seconds. The Syracusans decided to play deliberately in those final seconds and, with just one second remaining on the timer and 17 in the game, Dolph Schayes missed a hurried attempt. Fortune smiled on the Nats as the ball bounced back into Earl Lloyd’s hand and the club called for time out to set up the crucial play. It backfired when Lloyd’s jump shot missed at the bell. Given this lease on life, the Celts wasted no time asserting themselves. Bill Sharman sank a free throw at the 19-second mark, Barksdale added a rebound basket and Macauley sank a push shot within the first minute as the Nats went scoreless. Easy Ed added another Boston point before Lloyd finally broke the dearth at 1:28 with a driving layup. Red Rocha followed with a hook to cut the margin to 95-93, but then Cousy went to work and tallied all remaining Boston points with two baskets and a foul. Each club lost a man in overtime, Barksdale going out for the Celts after grabbing 12 of the 76 Boston rebounds and netting 17 points, while Schayes was lost to Syracuse. Dolph made only five of 22 field goal attempts and had 13 of the Nats 71 rebounds. Syracuse had no cause to complain of officiating. The Nats totaled 33 baskets on 99 attempts but missed 15 of 46 from the charity stripe, including four in a row by usually reliable Schayes. Boston had 36 field goals in 100 attempts and hit on 28 of 36 from the free throw line. There were 32 personals detected against Boston and 29 against Syracuse. Cousy led game scorers with 23 points, 19 of them in the second half, while Macauley was close with 21. Johnny Kerr was top man for the Nats with 20 while Seymour had 18, all of them in the first half. It appeared late in the second quarter that this might develop into a victory fray after Brannum belted Seymour to the floor and Paul tried to retaliate. He was kept from swinging, but then made the mistake of intentionally returning the foul before Cervi elected to bench him. Paul never again could find the range, so once again Brannum’s hatchet tactics hurt the Nats. Syracuse took a quick 11-4 lead at the five-minute mark as the Celts, obviously tight, missed a flock of easy shots although controlling rebound play. Here Barksdale came to the rescue as the revived Bostons went ahead, 21-20, on his four charity tosses. However, at the quarter mark the Nats led, 24-23. In the second period, Boston sent Cousy to the sidelines and replaced him with another local hero, Palazzi. He murdered the Cervimen. Togo hit four baskets in five tries and grabbed five rebounds as the Celts pulled into the largest lead, 49-40. By halftime the Nats closed to 52 to 46. Each team took 40 shots in the half, but the Beantowners collected 18 baskets while Syracuse hit only 15. In the second quarter the Celts had a .580 percentage hitting on 11 of 19. Some of Barksdale’s value could be seen in figures which showed he netted 11 points in the first quarter after Boston missed 11 of its first 13 tries. Palazzi had all his points in the second period, playing only 11 minutes in all. Syracuse tallied the first six points of the second half to knot the count once more, but just as quickly cooled off to allow Boston to pull ahead, 61-54, after five minutes. They increased the edge to 71-63 again at the 9:04 mark, but Syracuse refused to concede and finally drove back to force the overtime. Seymour was so incensed over Brannum’s action that at halftime he invaded the Celts’ dressing room. It took a police lieutenant to get him back where he belonged. Brannum insisted after the game it was accidental that both fists hit Paul on the forehead. The rival coaches and Danny Biasone went to the all-star game in New York on an early plane, but there was no Nat celebration as planned. The team is due to arrive at Hancock Field at midnight, no matter what the outcome of today’s fray. Auerbach credited Palazzi and Sharman with key contributions in the triumph. He noted that, although Sharman netted only five points, he successfully bottled up King in the first half and Seymour after intermission. King kept life in the dressing room of the Nats remarking: “We’ll get them tomorrow.” And Jim Tucker, who had an aching tooth removed Friday, responded: “Boston will never come back to Syracuse.” At the Arena this season the Celts won two of three games.

BOSTON: Nichols (6-0-12), Morrison (0-0-0), Brannum (2-1-5), Barksdale (5-7-17), Palazzi (4-2-10), Macauley (7-7-21), Sharman (1-3-5), Cousy (8-7-23), Ramsey (3-1-7) TOTALS (36-28-100). SYRACUSE: Schayes (5-4-14), Lloyd (6-4-16), Kerr (6-8-20), Tucker (2-0-4), Rocha (4-0-8), Osterkorn (1-1-3), King (3-6-12), Farley (0-2-2), Seymour (6-6-18), Kenville (0-0-0) TOTALS (33-31-97).

Score at halftime- Boston 52, Syracuse 45.