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Black Cats SetIFor Tiny MilanMuncie Early ChoiceTo Conquer ElkhartIn Finals' Opener.INDIANAPOLIS, March20.—The team that4 4getshot” can do it here today inthe championship battles ofthe Hoosier hardwood finals, i“Win or lose” in the state cagefinals at Indianapolis today, agiant welcome home celebrationis planned for the Gerstmeyer Black Cats when they return from the tourney Sunday.Coach Howard Sharpe and his squad will be met by a city fire truck and motor cavalcade atGerstmeyer should be thatteam.Those words—get hot—mean a lot in this game of basketball. That’s whv the same team—agood team—can compile shooting averages of 30 and 35 per cents on some nights and better than 50 on others.Highland Lawn for a parade to the Tech gym, where a program will get underway at I o'clock.The public is welcome to attend in this city-wide recognition of a great Gerstmeyer team.All Terre Haute has high hopes that Gerstmeyer’s Black Cats, a sensational band of shootersBy Kurt Freudenthal.many times during the campaign, again will find the basket hoopsa welcome target this afternoon and again tonight.INDIANAPOLIS. March 20.—IP* Indiana’s precious high school basketball crown was up for grabs today as four supremely confident and powerful dubs collided in the play-off round.Before 15,000 Butler fieldhouseWhile the brilliant Arley Andrews overshadows any individual star in today’s field, the other three contenders boast outstanding boys who have also been great throughout the tournament.fans and a television and radio audience estimated in the millions, the three-game melodrama of the 44th annual Hoosier hardwood show rolled off.There was no “clear-cut” favor-!Milan is proud of Bobby Plump, who ran wild for them with 28 points in their amazing victory over Indianapolis Attucks lastSaturday night.ite as Muncie Central, champion of the North Central Conference, clashed with Elkhart of the East N.I.H.S.C., and 1953 runner-up Terre Haute Gerstmeyer took on little Milan.Experts Pick Muneie.But the “experts” of the Indiana Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association, meeting on the eveof the grand finale, tabbed MuncieCentral as the ehih to beat. TheMuncie’s young Bearcats (three juniors and two sophs) have a top threat in Jim Hinds, who was their top point-maker in the semifinals.The third rival hero is Ray Ball, who has kept Elkhart’s BlueBlazers among the top names inHoosier basketball throughout thecampaign and is ranked as the finest player on a lot of rugged Northern Indiana quintets.Bearcats received 24 votes, followed by Milan with 19. Elkhart collected 13 and Terre Haute Gerstmeyer’s 1953 runners-up had the best rh^0 for victory in thn eyes of eight.AH' but Muncie start veteran outfits. Milan, seeking only thefourth triumph for the small-town representatives and the first since 1915. starts five seniors.Muncie, going after its fifth state title, a feat never before accomplished, starts three juniors up front and two sophomoreguards.Will Make History.When fate, in the form of a referee’s boot and a boo-boo thatstill is talked about by the score-keeper, forced the Black Cats to play without the services of Arley Andrews and wound up losing to South Bend Central by a single point last year, Coach Howard Sharpe said:“I know only too well that you have lo be lucky as well as good to win a state tourney. I know our boys were good enough to win and we had the luck. But weBut regardless who wins, it’ll be a history making session. Forneither Gerstmeyer, Milan, nor Elkhart ever received the hardware at the end of the golden rainbow. Elkhart, in fact, gained the “fieldhouse four” for the first time, via the tough Lafayettesemifinal route.Gerstmeyer’s Howard Sharpe, the real veteran of the fourdidn’t have Arley around when he might have won the game for us. We may have another fine team next year, but I’m wondering if ladv luck will be on our sideagain.Well, here we are again and the Black Cats are up there barking for another chance.They’ve had a superb season, 31 victories and only two losses.coaches, has been in the business 14 years. He also is the oldest at 38. Marvin Wood, his afternoon rival, at 26 is only four years out of Butler University and only in his second year at Milan.Bill Milliner, at 35, has nine years coaching under his belt, the last six al Elkhart. Jay Mc-Creary, finally, is 36. in his thirdyear at Muncie and his fourth season in the prep coaching ranks. He also coached at De-Pauw and Indiana Universities.Todya’s four-team field generally is rated better than lastyear’s group.Howard Sharpe has rated his current crew greater than a year ago despite the loss of Harley Andrews. They may need to be better if they get into the final game and bring Terre Haute astate champ tonight.All of them predicted victory, although Wood admitted pulling a switch.Don’t forget the big celebration planned in the Tech gym on Sunday afternoon, win or lose, for the Black Cats.I“1 picked Logansport for the state, but I’ve switched horses in mid-stream,” he said.Both Sharpe and McCreary indicated the “one-and-one” free-throw rule helped them.Asked if the rule won him any ball games, McCreary replied, “No, but it sure helped us winsome.”“We won our last two ball games because we were ahead at the right time.” said Sharpe.They’ve brought Terre Haute a world of fine honors and publicityand deserve all the good thingscoming their way.One of the hottest rooting Tech families at the finals today is the Mike Weber family of North Thirteenth and One-half street.Four children in the Weber family have attended Tech and one, Ruth, is a cheer leader today. Don’t trv to tell anv member ofthis family who will win the state title tonight.Joyce Ziske HottestGulf stream’s $100,090Stake Is Wide Open
Newspaper Details
Terre Haute Tribune
Terre Haute, Indiana, US
Sat, Mar 20, 1954
Page 6
Full Page
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WV, USA 28 Apr 2020
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