5 February 1947

**Syracuse Herald Journal**- Train Was Late, Detroit Gems Are Tired And Easy In Syracuse

With reserves playing a major portion of the game the Syracuse Nationals romped to an 84 to 55 win over the Detroit Gems in a delayed and listless game before 1,500 fans at the state armory last night. John Chaney and Steve Sharkey with 20 and 18 points respectively led the Syracuse scoring parade as all of the nine players used by Ben Borgmann figured in the scoring. Detroit had played in Youngstown, O., Monday night, and storm conditions delayed their arrival in Syracuse for about two hours and the game scheduled to get under way at 9 P.M., finally started at 10:15 after one of the longest preliminary games on record in Syracuse. By the victory the Nats pulled up one full game on Toledo in the drive for third place and moved one and one-half games ahead of fifth place Tri-Cities. Toledo dropped a 44 to 42 decision to Indianapolis as the Kautsky’s ran a home winning streak to 14 games. Detroit, after a brief opening flurry gave every evidence of why it holds down the cellar position in the loop, missing easy shots for the basket and leaving Syracuse free to run in as many points as it wished. The visitors jumped into an early lead and it was not until the six-minute mark that the Nats went ahead by a 15 to 14 margin on one of Chaney’s nine baskets. Nelmark and McCahan followed with two pointers and Syracuse pulled away to take complete command. At the end of the first period the Nats held a 24 to 15 lead and at half time were ahead 41 to 28. During the third period play was somewhat slower and the stanza ended with Syracuse on top 58 to 38. The pace quickened in the last heat and Syracuse scored eight points in the final 40 seconds of the game to amass its highest point total of the season and win by a larger margin than in any previous game. Detroit violated a league a ruling which states that at least eight men must be in uniform for every game when only seven players arrived, but no one seemed to worry much over the fact once Syracuse took charge of the game. Tonight the Nats will play before a capacity house in Utica against the Utica entry in the New York State League before returning home for a game against Oshkosh tomorrow night. Every seat for the Utica game was sold last night according to word received by the Syracuse management.

SYRACUSE: Chaney, f (9-2-20), Sharkey, f (9-0-18), McCahan, f (5-1-11), Dugger, f (1-0-2), Novak, c (3-1-7), Gee, c (4-4-12), Rizzo, g (1-4-6), Nelmark, g (3-0-6), Nugent, g (1-0-2) TOTALS (36-12-84). DETROIT: Meyers, f (5-1-11), O’Connor, f (5-1-11), Juntinen, f (2-0-4), Scheffer, f (1-0-2), Latter, g (3-1-7), Campbell, g (3-2-8), King, g (5-2-12) TOTALS (24-7-55).

Score at half time- Syracuse 41, Detroit 28. Free throws missed- Syracuse: Rizzo, Chaney, Novak, McCahan, Dugger. Detroit: Latter 2, Meyers 2, Juntinen 2, O’Connor 2, Scheffler 3, King. Officials- Garnisch and Kenney.

**Utica Daily Press**- Pics Entertain Syracuse Nats Tonight; 'Skins At Spa To Open 3-Game Card

Idle until Saturday in league competition, Coach Hod Nestor's Utica Olympics will face their toughest game to date when they entertain the Syracuse Nationals of the National League in Steuben Park Armory here tonight. Game time will be 9:15. preceded by a preliminary at 8. Manager Sheldon Basloe's Mohawk Redskins, now only 22 percentage points ahead of the Pics in the close Western Division race of the New York State Professional Basketball League, will open their strenuous three-night league schedule in Saratoga tonight. The Skins will return to Mohawk to take on the Schenectady Comets tomorrow night, and then will journey to Cohoes to play the Mastadons there Friday night. Schenectady will come to Utica for the Pics game Saturday night. The Syracuse team which comes here tonight is now in fourth place in the National League race and is capably coached by Benny Borgmann. The Syracusans handed the Detroit Gems an 84-55 lacing in a National League game in Syracuse last night, running up their highest total in league competition. The Gems made it close for the first five minutes and only and the Nats breezed the rest of the way, with reserves doing most of the work through the second half. John Chaney, shooting better than at any time this season led the Nats with 20 points, while Steve Sharkey was close behind with 19. Tom Meyers and Conlon O'Connor netted 11 each for the outclassed Gems. It is expected that Coach Benny Borgmann of the Nats will start his regular first-string lineup of Chaney and Sharkey at forwards, Novak at center and Nelmark and Rizzo, guards. Reserves will include Bill McCahan, Jack Dugger, Bob Nugent, Chick Meehan and Johnny Gee, in tonight's game here. Coach Nestor will start his regular lineup with Jim Konstanty and Bob Dewey at forwards, Paul Anthony at center and Ted Wybernac and Frank Soscia at guards. Bob Synnott, Pete Farina, Chuck Yund, Stan Kruse and a new player, Billy Griffin, formerly of the Albany Senators, will be available as reserves. Tonight's preliminary game will find the Jan Robak Post No. 8 quintet of New York Mills taking on the undefeated Rome State School Employees Club. The State school quintet undefeated in 18 starts, presents a formidable array of Rome stars which includes Al Beers, Chick Burke, Ed Donegal, Crozier and Clinton. They will enter tonight's fray as heavy favorites having defeated the Robak quintet 35-30 on the Rome School court earlier in the season. Manager Stan Skrocki of the Robaks will start the same lineup that has racked up 22 wins this season and has won six straight. The starting whistle will find Ed Toczydlowski and Don Light in the forward slots, Frank Martyniak at center, with Bobbie Flanagan and Nick Weaver in the guard positions. In reserve the locals will have Stan Zebiak, Walt Toczydlowski, Dick Modiazewski, Harold Williams, Ray Orlowski and Chuck Sloane. The score of last night's game in Syracuse:

DETROIT: Meyers, f (5-1-11), O'Connor, f (5-1-11), Juntenen, f (2-0-4), Sheffler, f (1-0-2), Latter, c (3-1-7), Campbell, g (3-2-8), King, g (5-2-12) TOTALS (24-7-55). SYRACUSE: Chaney, f (9-2-20), Sharkey, f (9-0-18), McCahan, f (5-1-11), Dugger, f (1-0-2), Novak, c (3-1-7), Gee, c (4-4-12), Rizzo, g (1-4-6), Nelmark, g (3-2-8), Nugent, g (1-0-2) TOTALS (34-12-84).

Score at halftime: Syracuse 41, Detroit 28. Free throws missed: Syracuse- Rizzo, Chaney, Novak 2, McCahan, Dugger. Detroit-Latter 2, Meyers 2, Juntenen 2, O'Connor 2, Scheffler 3, King.