20 January 1955

## 1955

**Syracuse Herald Journal**- League-Leading Nats Entertain Boston Celts Here Tonight

Syracusans Back On Top By Half Game; Shade Warriors In Overtime Battle

The Syracuse Nats will try to protect their newly won half-game leadership in the Eastern Division of the National Basketball Association tonight when the Boston Celtics invade the War Memorial court for battle at 8:30 o’clock. Coach Al Cervi’s boys came back home after shading the Philadelphia Warriors, 98-97, in an overtime game of a doubleheader at Hershey, PA. The New York Knicks downed the Rochester Royals, 98-83, in the first game before 5,000. The Boston Celtics meanwhile bowed out of first place in the division by losing a 105-84 decision to Fort Wayne’s Western section leaders at Amherst, Mass. Minneapolis won over Milwaukee, 95-81, in a Western Division contest. Boston will attempt to regain the peak in its division again tonight without the services of Bob Cousy, who will miss the first game after playing 336 in a row for the Hub City hoopmen. Cousy sustained a twisted knee in Tuesday night’s all-star game and had been previously nursing a thigh injury. He played only 16 minutes in last night’s loss to Fort Wayne and it was announced that he wouldn’t make the trip here. This is the Celts fourth and next to last visit here this season, barring playoff hostilities. Syracuse won all the previous games here although the Celts surpassed the century mark in scoring on each occasion. Boston’s attack is expected to be sparked by Bill Sharman, who was voted the most valuable player in the all-star game Tuesday night as he helped the East trim the Western Division aces. Dolph Schayes flipped in a pair of free throws after he had been fouled as an extra period ran out to give the Nats their triumph last night and first place in the division again. An evening of wild officiating came to a close when the final tally was officially announced as 98-97, with the scorer apparently not observing that Schayes converted his second toss which actually made it 99-97. A group of fans and his fellow players had surrounded him for the final foul toss. It seemed that the Nats earned the decision in regulation time when John Kerr tapped in a rebound, but an inexperienced 24-second timekeeper disallowed the goal. The score was tied at 88-88 when the Nats obtained possession with 30 seconds remaining in the regular game. Dick Farley tried to score, but it bounded back into the hands of the incoming Kerr and he apparently tallied on the rebound with six remaining seconds showing on the game clock. Syracuse players were surprised to hear that the 24-second timekeeper allowed the buzzer to go off after the ball left Farley’s hands, contrary to the operation of the new regulation. Coach Cervi vainly argued that the timer should have started the clock over again on Farley’s shot, but officials Joe Serafin and Bill Smith refused to allow the score. Al the filed an official protest, but his charges went on to win anyway. President Danny Biasone of the Nats talked with Jim Tucker, former Duquesne University star, in an effort to get him to join the Cervimen. Jim’s decision depends on whether he can enter summer school at Syracuse University rather than finish the second semester at Duquesne. He will complete his first half work Jan. 31.

SYRACUSE: Schayes (5-12-22), Rocha (4-2-10), Kerr (4-4-12), Kenville (3-0-6), Lloyd (4-3-11), Seymour (5-2-12), King (8-5-21), Farley (2-0-4) TOTALS (32-26-99). PHILADELPHIA: Arizin (5-6-16), Graboski (7-5-19), Zawoluk (2-1-5), Davis (1-0-2), Johnston (9-4-22), George (7-4-18), Dempsey (3-6-12), Finn (0-0-0), Hoffman (2-0-4) TOTALS (38-23-97).