Those on hand were partially in agreement that the preliminary game to Friday night’s East-West cross-city cage fray was, in reality, the best encounter of the night.

East won it, coming from under a 12-point first-half deficit, by a 56-49 margin.

But it wasn’t the outcome which afforded the “best-game” opinions. The two reserve squad, composed of both junior and sophomore personnel waged their wire-to-wire warfare with an excellence of ability.

TRUE, THEY WERE both a bit edgy at the start (the stands were virtually full already and these youngsters were more adjusted to playing to empty seats) but once they overcame those factors it turned into a dilly of a contest.

Greg Gran of West was the individual stick-out of the first 16 minutes, at one stage of a torrid spree hitting eight of nine field goals to finish with 18 at the break. Unfortunately for West, he found the basket evasive in the last two panels, adding only six more points for an even two dozen.

East got its win through a more balanced effort with strong-handed Dan Johnston, lanky Dick Winderl and shorter, but much aggressive, Gene Kennedy providing a distinct rebound advantage. The same three, along with guards Dwayne Slate and Wayne Gibson, contributed to the winning point total.

THE WHOLE THINK heralded good for both varsity coaches, Bob Smith at West and Les Eathorne at East, for next year. If their first outing of this campaign is indicative, rivalry in the ensuing year or two is going to be finely pitched.

And so, too, will be the second meeting of this season between the two reserve squads at East, on Feb. 15.

*          *          *

With the junior college conference basketball season only a third complete, it’s already been determined that no team will got through undefeated, preserving for one more year, at least, the unparalleled 16-0 campaign enjoyed by the late Phil Pesco’s 1948-49 Olympic Rangers . . . Ex-Olympic Ranger golfer Rory Rice wound up third among qualifiers for the University of Washington varsity links team, but must face 54 more holes of qualifying in the spring before solidifying a team position . . . A man who might replace Rice as No. 1 man on this year’s OC fairway team is Joe Dubsky, Roosevelt of Seattle grad and son of former UW gridder by the same name of 1936. Dubsky is a transfer from Everett JC . . . Guyle Fielder, the golden man of Western Hockey league play and holder of numerous loop marks, is with in striking distance of still another – the only man to record 1,000 career points. The Seattle Totem center star needs only five more.

[ top ]