OSC Tabbed as ND Favorite
♦ ♦ ♦
by Jim White
Emerald Sparta Writer
Idaho and Oregon, two of the Northwest's top
basketball teams, open the 1954 Northern Division
race at Eugene this week. No one can say what will
happen over the two colorful months of cage action
ahead but everyone has their pet theory. It usually
starts with OSC and ends with WSC.
The season looks like it could shape up into a
thrilling battle for second place with Oregon and
Washington fighting it out and Idaho lurking in the
background as a possible dark horse. The gangling
giants of Corvallis are rated as favorites for the title
because of their abnormal height advantage; and, of
course, Washington State has little or no hope of ris
ing from the cellar.
Oregon State's beanpoles showed up very well in
pre-season competition against some of the country’s
best. They racked up a record of seven wins against
three losses, including wins over the NCAA champs,
Indiana, Ohio State, North Carolina and Nebraska.
The Beavers lost one to Indiana, Duke and Tulane, all
by close scores.
Holbrook Well Known
The Orange men boast the most publicized college
eager in recent years, Swede Halbrook, 7’3 ’ tall. In
addition the Beavers have two 6’6” forwards, Tex
Whiteman and Tony Vlastelica, and "the two fastest
guards on the coast,” Johnny Jarboe and Bill Toole.
Which all adds up to one thing. The OSC team is
something of a dream team. There has been some
question as whether or not such an inexperienced
team can go all the way. The Beavers seem to have
answered that question in the Indiana series but it
won’t be easy going—even in the Northern Division
race.
Destined for Runner-up
Even though Washington is no longer on top,
Oregon appears destined for their habitual runner-up
spot. Oregon’s likable coach, Bill Borcher, put it this
way. “1 don’t see any normal sized team in the North
west that can beat us consistently, but . . . what can
you do against guys like Halbrook?” And we’re not
inclined to disagree with him.
Oregon has three veterans and two fine sopho
mores on its starting lineup. Ken Wegner, All North
ern Division smard leads the list with Ed Halberg
DWIGHT MORRISON
Idaho Tall Timber
and Barney Holand. Up from last year’s frosh squad to fill in the holes
are center Max Anderson and forward Ray Bell.
The Huskies don't look very good at first glance, in fact they don’t
even look like title contenders if you stare at them all day. The main
reason of course is the loss of their All American center Bob Houbergs.
Washington compiled a preseason record of eight consecutive defeats
without a win. Nevertheless, they must be picked over the once beaten
Idaho Vandals because they played top teams, whereas Idaho compe
tition was ridiculous.
The Huskies lost two games to Stanford, three to Kansas State,
and once each to Oklahoma, Colorado and St. Louis besides finishing
last in the Big Seven tournament. The most noticeable thing in this
record is that none of these games were what you might call a ‘ run
away.”
Idaho Rates High
Idaho was rated 17th nationally a few weeks ago, which points up
the worthlessness of polls and very little else. The Vandals did very
well against third rate competition, downing Gonzaga, Hawaii, Loyola
and taking Montana three games out of four. Idaho wasn’t particular
ly impressive in any contest but they have the material to make
things hot in the Northern Division.
The Vandal’s welcomed back almost exactly the same team that
tied Oregon for second place in the conference last season. Dwight
Morrison, 6’8” center, is the big gun, with Bob Falash, Tom Flynn and
Harlan Melton supporting him admirably. Idaho’s first big test of the
season will be the Oregon series and unless they can show more class
than in pre-season competition, they seem destined to lose.
WSC Picked for Cellar
The Cougars finished last in the conference last year and are head
ed for the bottom spot again, barring the upset of the decade. WSC
rolled up a 6 and 4 record in preseason play with victories over Eastern
Washington, EWCE, Montana, Gonzaga and Whitworth. The Cougars
lost to California, Hawaii, and Sacramento State. Even at that, Wash
ington State beat Eastern Washington by only 1 point and Gonzaga
by a slim two.
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Oregon, Idaho
Vie in Opener
The lid pops off Northern Divis
ion basketball tonight when the
University of Oregon and Idaho go
to the post at 8 p. m. in McArthur
court. This is the first game in a
two game Vandal series in Eugene.
Everybody’s Drug of Eugene,
who last year upset the Phillips
Oilers in the national AAU tour
nament, and Philco of Portland
meet in the 5:45 prelim.
The Vandals come to Oregon as
favorites, according to a pre-sea
son poll of the Northern Division
coaches. The Vandals have lost
only one game out of their first
seven and at one time this season
were rated 17th nationally.
WIN FIRST SIX
The boys from the spud state
won their first six with ease from
Gonzaga, Hawaii, Loyola of Los
Angeles and Montana. Their only
setback came at the hands of Mon
tana in the last of a four game
series.
Coach Chuck Finley's quint has
height and an accurate shooting
eye from the floor. Dwight Morri
son, 6 feet 8 Inches tall, and Har
lan Melton, sharp-shooting for
ward, lead the squad In points.
Coach Hill Borcher’s Green
crew, which was an underdog a
week ago, saw its chances get even
smaller over the weekend as For
ward Jerry Ross and Guard Ken
ny Wegner suffered badly sprained
ankles.
Ross, a rapidly Improving soph
omore, saw a lot of action in the
California swing and was being
counted on as valuable bench
strength for Oregon. He was limp
ing badly Monday, however, and
Trainer Bob Officer said he would
definitely not see action against
the visitors tonight.
mm?,?,
Wegner, the only returning All
Northern Division selection, pick
ed up a complicated ankle sprain
in practice Saturday, and his ap
pearance in the lineup tonight is
doubtful.
The Ducks saw their seven game
winning streak end over the holi
days as the Oregon gang could
win only one game out of four
i on the road trip to California.
I UCLA walloped the Webfoots, 89
74, and 79-.r>3 on consecutive nights
, in Los Angeles, despite a 28 point
outburst by Wegner in the first
! battle.
WIN LAST GAME
Stanford trimmed Oregon, 85
| 58, in the Ducks' third straight
! California loss, but the Green and
Yellow came back to shade out
Sacramento State, 59-53, in the
I last of the four game swing.
Deadline Today
For IM Entries
Man’s living organizations have
until 3 p. m. today to submit en
i tries for winter term intramural
sports. Entry blanks chould be
taken to the IM office in the P.E,
building.
The schedules for A and B bas
ketball and handball will be drawn
up at 3 p. m. today; according tc
Patd Washke, mural director.
Lou Bellisimo, S. U. recreation
director, plans to have the bowling
schedule made up by Wednesday
Competition in the three wintei
sports will start Monday, for bas
ketball and handball, and Tucs
• day, for bowling.
.
' ' A
A
• J
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