Tourney Bow Set At 11:50

Day before blastoff.

This has been the lull in the long countdown before the East Knights begin a bid for the state high school class AA basketball tournament honors.

At 11:50 Wednesday morning, the Knights of coach Les Eathorne tip off against the Ballard Beavers, No. 3 from Seattle, in the first state tournament action for an East team since 1958.

In earlier games, Blanchet, Seattle parochial school, takes on Ellensburg at 9 a.m. and Central Valley, Spokane champion, battles Renton, Puget Sound league titlist, at 10:25.

AFTERNOON games Wednesday send Hudson’s Bay of Vancouver, the team with the big, big players, against Roosevelt, No. 2 team from Seattle, at 1:15; Bellevue, Kingco league champion, against Evergreen of Vancouver, No. 2 Southwest district representative, at 2:40, and Richland against Franklin Pierce, No. 2 Puget Sound league team, at 4:05.

Evening session Wednesday finds Wilson of Tacoma testing Burlington at 8:15 and Garfield, twice defending champion and against Seattle’s No. 1 entry, jousting with Lewis and Clark, Spokane’s No. 2 quintet.

Two of the state tournament teams are unbeaten this season – Blanchet in 23 outings and Renton in 18. Three other have lost just one” Central Valley and Bellevue, both 18-1, and Garfield 16-1.

TEAMS WITH two losses include Richland, with 20 wins, and Roosevelt, with 17 victories. Lewis and Clark and Hudson’s Bay bring 18-3 records.

All others have lost five or more.

East’s 15-5 overall mark, including the two playoff triumphs over Bethel and Port Angeles that sent the Knights on to state, ranks with the best of the dark horse teams.

Ballard, which qualified for state by knocking over Franklin in Seattle playoff of Metro league divisional second-place teams, has won 12 and lost 7.

Limited to 10 players, Eathorne listed forwards Mike Holen and Jim Tienhaara, center Darryl Fry and guards John Tracy and Greg Morrison, his regular starters, plus reserves Bill Carter, Roy Campbell, Larry Beach, Dave Garrison and Paul Scheyer.

BOB RICHARDSON, who has been No. 1 reserve up front all season, isn’t available for duty since dislocating an elbow in Friday night’s conquest of Bethel.

In 1958, a team led by Lyle Bakken, later a University of Washington star, came back from an opening game setback to win three straight at state and claim fifth place in the tournament. Included was a victory over a taller Anacortes team in the third game that ranks among the great contest of state tourney history and probably holds the spot as greatest comeback effort.

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East Students to See

Hoop Tournament---If

East high school will sponsor basketball-tournament excursions to Seattle Wednesday and Thursday and “everyone can go that can qualify,” principal Dwight Scheyer said today.

A turnaway crowd was in prospect at the pavilion. Scheyer said the school today was able to purchase 500 tickets for students, “but we have to get out of the pavilion right after our game to make room for others.”

To qualify, students must have “approved-absence blanks” signed by their parents and by teachers of the classes they will miss, the principal said.

He said teachers will use judgment in signing the blanks and students should not make the trip “if in jeopardy of failing the course.”

Excursion tickets were selling rapidly at the school office today, the price being $1.25 plus the fully signed approved-absence blank, the principal said. The tickets provide round-trip bus and ferry fare. Admission to the game is an additional 75 cents for the students. Travel will be on Bremerton-Charleston Transportation Co. chartered buses.

The buses will leave the school at 9 a.m. to catch the 9:25 a.m. ferry Wednesday and will return on the 2:10 p.m. form Seattle, he said. Thursday’s time will depend on whether the team wins or loses Wednesday.

East high’s band and drill team will make the trip and will give the halftime performance at the game.

East will play Seattle’s Ballard at 11:50 a.m. Wednesday.

Scheyer said East high classes will convene as usual during the tournament.

However, he commented, sales of tickets this mounted into hundreds among the school’s student population of 1,068. The ticket sale began at 7:30 a.m.