By JOHN K. SMITH

Sun Sports Writer

West's balance went awry with early season jitters in the fading moment of last nights Capital league prep basketball opener here and let Mount Tahoma's one-man-gang offense steal off with a 53-50 conquest.

Art Smith, a junior center who was second high scorer for the Thunderbirds a year ago, was second to none last night. The Mount Tahoma pivot poured in 30 points, 12 of them in the crucial fourth period that included Tahoma's last 10 points in order.

High for West was Les Dicks with 13.

THE HOST Wildcats started off with steady pressure, slowly building its two-platoon system into an eight-point lead at halftime, 31-23. Advantage was to grow to 11 at one moment.

But the 'Cats, who had made 13 of 16 free throws good in the first half, went dead at the charity stripe after intermission. At least five times, West field goals were cancelled by personal fouls committed by Thunderbirds. Only once did a Wildcat make up for that two points by netting two free throws on the following opportunity.

Thunderbirds chipped away at the margin until Smith dropped in a pair of gift tosses with 4:48 left in the game that closed it to one point - West still in front at 48-47.

Dicks had garnered that 48th point with 5:07 remaining - the first successful free throw by a Wildcat in the second half of the game.

DANNY SHEDWIN made it a three - point edge again at 50-47 when he proved the one able to count free throws in place of a retracted field goal. That was with 4:35 left in the game and it proved the last time West was to score.

Smith's free throw pair at 2:27 again cut the difference to one and, at 2:01, he arched a deliberate one-handed push shot over the entire West quintet for the field goal that won the game.

West had a big chance yet. The 'Cats worked the ball for a secure shot in the last half minute. A pass went astray - still in the air - over the midcourt line. Big Bud Grahn leaped for it and batted it back in front court before he or the ball could touch down in the automatic turnover area.

The whislte blew.

West didn't hear it.

[ top ]

SHEDWIN DROVE through the key and stuffed what looked like the go-ahead basket with 16 seconds showing on the clock.

It didn't count. An official had rule the ball to go out of bounds in possession of the Thunderbirds at midcourt because of the stray pass.

Tahomans stalled and, with six seconds left, Dicks fouled Smith to stop the clock.

The Thunderbird pivot added his final two points of the night at the charity stripe.

West didn't have time to get off another shot.

Wildcats outshot Thunderbirds from the field, making 17 of 49 goal attempts while the winners collected on only 18 of 52.

But the all-important free throw line saw Tahomans put in 21 of 28 tries - 75 per cent - while West, better than 80 percent there in the first half, finished with 16 of 28 and a percentage of 57.1.

STARTING WEST forward Steve Schumacher took a severe shoulder bruising in a fall under the basket during the third period but, after a brief rest, was able to return to the game.

Guard Leon Leslie of West fouled out of the contest with 3:44 left in the game and Dicks' late attempt to stop the clock drew his fifth persnal of the contest.

Shedwin, Leslie, Fred Kegel and Jim Stockton each made two of four field goal attempts. Dicks sank five of eight tries from the field. Shedwin and Schumacher each made four straight free throws without a miss.

Potential of a high - scoring West quintet was evident but the late jitters that caused several needless turnovers, made youngsters take poor shots when the situation called for careful ones and showed up most at the free throw line combined to set the Wildcats' opener in the valuable experience column instead of the victory list.

Friday, West ventures to Port Angeles for a class AA tournament trail clash with the Roughriders of the Olympic league.

B Team Game

West (47) - Matlock 1, Gordon 7, Shute 11, Egan 1, Orange 3, Costello 7, Johnson 10, Watson 2, Gran, Pudas, Richardson, Jackson, Manke, Stewart, Chamberlain, Munns.

Mt. Tahoma (34) - Taylor 3, Sparks 7, Uhl 9, Baker, Endicott 7, McWhirter 4, Holcomb 2, Gillis 2, Mowery, Rythonen, Burmester.