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By 0. J. O’HernI drifted into the Midland dressing room (and outside the snow was drifting a little, too) after last night’s ball game and there was a happy group of youngsters tearing off their uniforms. Coach John McCrery was a happy fellow, too, and he was right proud of the performance of his boys in defeating the Linton Miners 46-42 in the first game of the 1956 Switz City Valley prelim. John thought this was the big one and the one his boys wanted to win the most.McCrery is a fellow who has the most confidence in his ball club. He drills ’em in that manner and teaches ’em never to give up. Like last night, he said, “This was a big one for us to win and the rest of them will take care of themselves.” He never worries about the future (except, “how are we going to beat ’em). Sure, he scouts the opponent and knows 'em from A to Z before the Middies take the playing floor for when the Middies go out, since they lack the height needed in high school basketball nowadays, they have to be in the right spot ht the right time, in nearly every ball game, or they’re in trouble. They were in the right spot at the right time on many occasions last night and it paid off with a tourney victory.Neither team was hitting with any successful average in that beautiful new Switz City gym and in the end, it was at the free throw line where the Mid dies decided the final issue. Al-thpugh Coach Wakefield’s Miners -'outscored the Midland five16-13 from the field, at the charity stripe Midland picked up 20 free throws to only 10 for the local lads. Gerald Stone was a deadeye at that 15-foot stripe and although he scored only two field goals, his nine charity tosses had much to do with the final outcome. Tom Worth witn 13 points was another crack ball handler and played a whale of a floor game. For a kid who stands only 5-9 and plays that center post, Gerald Stone was a terrific performer around the pivot slot at feeding the ball and keeping the Middies “fired-up.”McCnscrapiTheyAfti prelin Vallej full s sites, tonigi Blue sell g the e ship. Indiar this s ing tl ended at 13. eveniiOn ville edge team ation ball ( outsta that be a Sulliv has b since son t ball lt;Carlis edge going excite of thlt; tets.Gary Hutchison wasn U ihrt ting his long cast over the Midland zone defense but he was the only Miner who could find the range with any consistency. Hutchison got most of his seven buckets from down underneath, as he led the way in scoring with 17 points Midland and the Miners, both, were having trouble with the rim shots in the first quarter and it ended with the Middies on top by 9-8 score. Time and time again, both teams would have field shots dip into that bucket and it appeared for certain that the ball was going through but then “bingo,” out it would bounce The Middies punched a little stronger, outscoring the Miners17-10 and at halftime John Me Crery’s crew was on top by a lt;6-18 margin.The Miners were going have to start hitting that bucket if they were going to get back in this ball game. They did come back some in the third period to outscore Midland 14-10 and make the scoreboard read 36-32 at the period’s end. From the field in the second half, Linton outscored the Middies by a 10-6 margin but when the local lads trailed by 7 points with about two minutes to go, they had to go after the ball. When they did, personal fouls were committed and some important charity tosses by Stone, who picked up four, and Dave Fry and Worth, pulied the Middies away to the 4-point edge that they managed to hold on to it until the end.The Middies have to go against Tom Oliphant’s Sols-berry Hornets in tomorrow night’s first game at the Sw'itz i and it was Solsberry that dealt out a 62-44 defeat to the Middies last Friday, but at tourney time, all the past goes I out the window. McCrery, like j any other coach, knows that in J order to win ’em all, you have to win that first one I’m noH saying that Midland is going to win ’em all or even win that 1 next one but T do know that 'The action Wools has t ball c Odon team first g posted record pick i season down could limina St. Jo this £ pointfigure oail c when pleted other meetTom Horne much tne L seconc and tl as one in this if oho, McKin mree once. : with l ball g oy on itill-uiTon more j rooters take i pits tl der C Worthi field h but th to a V giving the the Sw becomlt; the bo height-Tigers in the shootei Marlin could ment a before winner games contest SwitzThe workin througt prelim. and At RoekviJ Jays df tournc night, tangle dogs. . ly easil son. . bow’ling Lucille a 505 s games, a high 185. . . night
Newspaper Details
Linton Daily Citizen
Linton, Indiana, US
Thu, Jan 19, 1956
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USA 26 Apr 2025
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