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SECTIONIVSPORTSMARKETSCLASSIFIEDThe Post-StandardSPORTSMARKETSCLASSIFIEDSECTIONIVSYRACUSE, N. Y., SUNDAY, APRIL 3, 1955PAGE THIRTY-SEVENNats Nip Pistons in NBA Playoff, 87 to 84Rocha ’sShot Clinches Win in Last Secondst'NSTOPPABLE SHOT.—Red Rocha (16). of the Syra-ci'C .Vats, went high in the air and then lotted in a left-handed shot during this action in yesterday's clashagainst Fort Wayne at War Memorial Auditorium. Don Meineke (17), of the Pistons, couldn’t come close in his effort to stop the shot.5,344 See Bisons |K©©DillCr Post©dl^0nn0 ^woKERR CLICKS.—John Kerr (10), of the Nats, supplied the impetus to put the ball in the hoop for a Syracuse score during this scramble yesterday. He and Red Rocha (16) sandwiched a Fort Wayne player while Mel Hutchins (9) of the invader- waited for the rebound.Sidelights5,844 Watch Syracuse Take 2-0 Edge in Final SeriesBY JACK ANDREWS Red Rocha, the lean and lanky veteran from Hawaii, banked in a clinching, 30-foot, one-handed shot with 10 seconds left on the clock and the Syracuse Nationals moved halfway to the World’s Professional Basketball championship by. scoring their second straight playoff victory over Fort Wayne, 87 to 84, in another sizzling War Memorial Auditorium battle before 5,844 fans yesterday aftynoon.The Nats, who had to come from [behind in their 86 to 82 victory [Thursday, were forced to rally again in this televised struggle, [which was blacked out in the Syracuse area.The persistent Pistons, away winging because of Syracuse's wretched start, fell behind by It points at the half and trailed by 13 early in the third quarter but The Nats were as much re-jwere two ahead when that session lieved as they were happy over ended.getting past another tough game; However. Dolph Schayes. who with the Fort Wayne Pistons in [ wound up with 24 points in a su-the Pro Basketball World Series Iperb performance, sent the Nats yesterday at the War Memorial, (off to a seven-point lead in the They’ll have three chances in|fjnal period and they had that Indianapolis to bring home Syra-jsame margin with four and m cuse's first pro cage title and also [half minutes left of the game, to become the Eastern Division's But with Frankie Brian, who first winner in the six-vear-old [went scoreless in the opener. NBA. (meshing 20 points in this one withThere were shouts of confidence his outside shots and streaking in the dressing room after fatigueTayups, scoring five of the last wore off, but AL Cervi and his port Wayne points, the Nats squad know it’s going to be tough needed two Schavcs free throwsRelief Main Nats' Reaction After 2d Winto prevent a continuance of the series here Saturday and Sunday. The celebration wasn't very lusty, overly boisterous.Talking about lanky Rocha's clinching basket, of course. Coach Ai Cervi exulted: Just a great shot, that’s all!” The Thin Man was the center of attention in the dressing room, taking a greaton the great Mel Hutchins' sixth personal foul and the spectacular Steve by Rocha to place themselves in a position to grab the National Basketball Association’s best-in-seven championship in the west.GAME TONIGHTThe Pistons will be hosts tonight, Tuesday, and, if a sweep Bisn’t in order, on Thursday.‘e A shutout indeed is a remote ;s prospect for the Eastern Division ;r champions against a western14 j array who don't give up at all and '^|\vho might well have pulled outthe two of the toughest struggles the NBA finals have ever pro-,5 duced.'n Rocha, always the octopus on 11 defense. ■ has been a great clutch. s shooter in the entire playoffs.After tallying 19 points in the le opener, he accounted for only 11 of:in this one, but that final shot .[was one of the biggest he's ever id [made.Id| As in the first game, the final id;minutes were packed with pulse-)e pounding incidents, igi With the score reading 82 to 75,I the Nats seemed home free, but [they had their troubles on of-'yjfense and defense as the Pistons l®i threw their final scare.With 3.25 to go, George King jf knocked in a rebound that first ;. was ruled illegal by Referee Sid Borgia, but then disallowed. When Earl Lloyd threw a shot to beat ie the 24-second timer, it didn't touch lojeither the backboard or rim as 1-j the offensive possession limit ran 2. | out. King then shoved it in and i-ja vigorous discussion followed.H RULING MADEJ'l After a consultation with a I-ternate whistle blower. Mendy (Rudolph, who was on the scoring y I bench, and 24-second timer, Billy Hassett. it was ruled that the 24 [(j sconds ran out when, as it must, the ball didn’t hit any part of the goal.Andy Phillip had notched two ie free throws just before the tim-te ing incident. The Pistons were le behind by 82 to 77. id Schayes sank a foul, but Yard-le ley, who led all scorers with 21 :-1 points despite Rocha's nagging ie defensive tactics most of the time, drove through for a layup and appeared to have taken too many |s steps when he did.Then Brian, who was a nemesis :K to the Nats in the battles with Anderson in the old National Bas-f' ketball League, scored on a fast15 break after Handy Andy Phillip e stole the ball from the usually ■ sure-handed Earl Lloyd.[s Schayes popped in his ninth it and 10th foul points on Hutchins’ ■y banishment infraction, which also was the Pistons’ one-over-the-limit seventh, and again the Nats [e had a four-point advantage. Brian netted a foul and when Schayes. '*■ was ruled to have been inside e the circle on a jump ball. B r i a q [k again zipped in for a layup that brought the Pistons within a point with only 34 seconds to be played. f OLD PROA Hurriedly, to beat the 24-second P timer, Rocha, one of the leagues old pros (eight years of service); ‘j threw the big ones. Among the ‘ perfectionist pros, a shot is supposed to swish through cleanly, r_ but this one hit just back of the e, ring to crash through, but no one ,r cared, least of all the thin man as the Pistons’ backs were shoved to i.lthe wall.If the Nats can t finish it up in Indianapolis, the series will be completed here Saturday afternoon and Sunday.Outstandidng figure in the over-all picture of the Syracuse victory was Long John Kerr, who scored 17 points, grabbed 17 re-
Newspaper Details
Syracuse Post Standard
Syracuse, New York, US
Sun, Apr 03, 1955
Page 81
Full Page
Clipped by
Sarah K.
NA, 30 Apr 2024
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