The Herald-Palladium from Benton Harbor, Michigan • 41

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1973 lilt. it I A ill I IthAlUXS II vlvnvm, Ktl. PAGE FORTY-ONE Benton Harbor Hoping For Fast Start This Season a 48 per cent team shooting and McKee is hoping for more of the same this season. "As long as we take those shots inside 15 feet we ought to be able to hit them like that," he says. "It's just a matter of one more pass and you've got a good because of his quickness.

"Adkins is greatly improved in jumping and quickness and I think we'll be fairly strong rebounding, although not as strong as we were last year." The Tigers averaged 75 points a game last year with the help of In the past two seasons Benton Harbor's basketball team has displayed the characteristics of a Sherman tank slow to get going and tough to stop. Over that span the Tigers posted a 4-6 record in their first five games but then ran wild at a 29-4 clip while winning two Class A district championships and one Lake Michigan Athletic Conference crown. "It's hard to figure," coach Earl McKee says of the slow-starting pattern that has developed since he took the job. "If somebody had bet me we'd lose four of our first five games last season, I would have jumped at it. No way should we have played like that." The Tigers again face several tough tests early in the season, with Muskegon Heights, Mona Shores, Kalamazoo Central and Miles all on the schedule before the St.

Joseph Christmas tournament. BENTON HARBOR SCHEDUIB Dec. 4 MUSKEGON HEIGHTS Dec. 7 -AT Mono Shares Dec 14 MUSKEGON CATHOLIC Dec. 15 at Kalamazoo Central Dee.

18 MILES Dec 27-28 St. Joe Toumomw Jan. 4 at Muskegon Jan. 11 at Grand Haven Jon. 18 TRAVERSE CITY Jan.

22 at Kalamazoo Hackett Jan. 25 MONA SHORES Feb. 1 at Muskegon Camollc Feb. 2 at South Bend Washlngtaa Feb. 8 MUSKEGON Feb.

9 at G.R. Ottawo Witt Feb. 12 -BATTLE CREEK CENTRAL Feb. 15 GRAND HAVEN Feb. 22 at Traverse City Mar.

I KALAMAZOO HACK ITT leading shooter with a 58 per cent field goal average while Rice scored 10.2 per game during the regular season before suffering a leg injury at tournament time. Their combination of height, quickness and agility will make them tough to stop in a set offense as well on fast breaks. They are backed up by junior Edward Albert, who joined the varsity in the tournaments last year, and church league graduate John Taylor to make the guard positions the definite strength of the team. The front court is less set and is unlikely to develop the awesome rebounding potential the Tigers had with Anthony With three starters back from that team which posted a final 16-7 record, McKee is hoping he'll have the horsepower to start out in high gear this year. "These three guys should give us the organization we didn't have the last couple of years," he says of guards Gary Phillips and Jettie Rice and center David Adkins, who is being switched to a forward position this season.

"It's just a matter of picking two guys who are going to go best with those three." Phillips and Rice certainly should give the Tigers one of the best backcourt combinations around. Phillips, averaged 13.8 points a game and was the team's Wooden and Reggie Walker last year. Adkins is perhaps the most improved player on the team and should boost his scoring (8.0) with the move to forward and a proven shooting (52 per cent) touch. Andrew Atterberry is a likely starter at the other forward position and Keith Seahorn appears to have the inside track for the center job, although Mike Howard, Jim Bridgman, Bruce Burke and Frank Greene are all being considered. "Atterberry really hustles.

can play defense with us and run with us, too," McKee says. "He's a pretty good rebounder for bis size Late St. Joe Rally Beats Pesky Tigers Bear Girls Gain District Final shot. "Basically, we'll be trying to run the same things on offense, but we should be experienced enough to change up a little bit. "I'm kind of confident about this team we have some outstanding players who are also outstanding people.

It take a lot of putting together, though." BENTON HARBOR ROSTER nyur foj. Ht. ci. xOovId AOkln 6-J Sr. xAndr-w AttertMrrf t-y, sr.

nBruce Bork i-5V Sr. uGarv PWIUp 6 t-2Vt Sr. KJettltRlct a 4-3 sr. Keitli Seohont F-C -3 Sr. James Bridgman F-C 6-2 Sr.

GorgEddy C-F -JVi Sr. John Feathtrstn 4-3 Sf John Taylor 4-1 Sr. Edward Albert -o Jr. MlktMowofd 4-2 Jr. Frank Green C-F 4-4 Jr.

Jerry wmioma e-F 44 jr. aLettermen. ianka and 5-S Greg Priebe at guards. Brian Nisbet will be the top sub if a defensive player is needed. Mickey Ott and Bernia Christopher are top offensive threats on the Bear bench.

Gaonder says the Bears hart been "successful and hart shewn progress" ia pre-season By BILL MOORE Staff Sports Writer St. Joseph nearly had its hopes for girl's basketball state honors snuffed out early in its district opener against Benton Harbor in the Tiger gym Wednesday night. The Bears saw a big first-Qiiarter lead slowly disappear PW ST. JOSEPH VARSITY: These 10 players will carry St. Joseph trong, Mickey Ott, Kit Karsten, Eddie Owsianka and Tim Case.

Joseph's hopes during the 1973-74 basketball season. From left are Kneeling are manager Tom Champagne and coach George Greg Priebe, Brian Nisbet, Mike Ryan, Mike Priehe, Tom Arms- Gaunder. (Staff photo) St. Joseph Facing Hectic Opener I fc "tyr i I I "4 111 pjT'r v. 1 Woody Supports Playoff Maybe Feels Ought To Accept Decision behind a determined Benton Harbor effort, then had to rally in the fourth quarter for a 47-42 victory.

The win puts St. Joe in the district finals against Niles Friday in the Benton Harbor gym. "This was the closest game of the year for us," said St. Joe "1 took into account "the entire football season." "It is my conclusion that Ohio State best met the definition of the most representtive team," Smith said. He was supported by MSU Coach Denny Stolz.

'I admire a man who went through what Burt Smith went through this week," said Stolz. Big Ten athletic directors reportedly voted 6-4 in favor of sending Ohio State to the New Year's Day game despite the fact that unbeaten Michigan rallied to tie the Buckeyes 10-10. Smith had come under considerable fire after it was reported he had not voted for Michigan. coach Fred Knuth, whose squad will take a 15-0 record into the championship contest. "I didn't really feel it would be that close, but after the first quarter we lost our poise and let them catch us." The Bears pressing defense held Benton Harbor to only one field goal in the first quarter as they ran up a 17-2 bulge.

Then command of the boards and the outcourt shooting of Lois Atcher swung the momentum towards Benton Harbor, as the Tigers narrowed the gap to 21-19 before finally falling behind again 27-21 at half. St. Joe hung on to that advantage and was ahead 37-31 in the third quarter before Atcher reeled off six straight points to tie the game at 37-all at the end of the period. A free throw by Atcher on a technical foul with 6:57 left in the game gave Benton Harbor its only lead at 38-37. From there on both teams lost their offensive poise, making numerous turnovers and taking poor shots.

Kay Stickney finally put St. Joe back in front 39-38 with an easy layup with 4:16 left. A bucket by Melanie Taylor built the margin to 41-38. Atcher then cut the score to 41-40 with an outcourt shot, but Taylor hit again and Cindy Scheffler hit on a three-point play which broke the game open for the Bears. "I think we just got a little too excited in the fourth quarter," said Benton Harbor coach Connie Coon, whose team finishes at 9-3.

"I had confidence from the beginning that we could beat them. I think we gave them their two closest games of the year." St. Joe won the only regular season meeting of the two teams by seven points. "I think the difference in that fourth quarter was that we moved Melanie Taylor to cover Atcher. When we weren't using the press we used something similar to a box-and-one against them," said Knuth.

Atcher finished with 25 points, while Taylor topped the game with 26. Stickney was second high for the Bears with 9. The statistics were as close as the game itself. St. Joe led in rebounding 42-36 with Chris Knuth getting 25 for St.

Joe and Carmella Hull and Linda Boyd 11 each for the Tigers. St. Joe hit 18 of 66 shots for 27.2 per cent and Benton Harbor 19 of 71 for 26.7. The Tigers hit only four of 16 free throws, while the Bears hit 10 of 29. In other district games Wednesday, Buchanan routed River Valley 61-36 in Class at Brandywine.

In "Class at Bangor, Mat-tawan ousted Decatur 28-23 and Watervliet topped 35-17. Buchanan reached the finals of the Class district and will play the winner of tonight's Dowagiac-Lakeshore game for the title Saturday. Karen Johnson led the Bucks' victory with 25 points. Teresa Mottl chipped in 16 and Jean Summers 12. Debbie Lundin led River Valley with 12.

Buchanan hit 27 of 63 shots for 43 per cent, while River Valley canned 16 of 65 for 24.8. Watervliet led all the way against Bloomingdale and will meet Mattawan in the tourney finals Friday. Berta Solay led the victory with 19 points. A fourth-quarter rally couldn't bring Decatur back against Mattawan, which was od by Collet Moriarity with 12 points. The Raiders were led by three players who had four points each.

Central 43-42. The points allowed mark ef less than 40 points per game is a far cry from last season whea the Knights finished ia the Bis Six basement while allowing 70 points per outing. The winning spirit brought to Loy Norrix by Court is being called the key to the Norrix turnabout. Court coached Romulus to a 23-3 record last winter and the No. 14 ranking in the final Class A Associated Press poll.

He had a 56-11 record at Romulus, including four straight wins over always strong River Rouge, and an overall 115-35 coaching record on the eastern side of the state. tv "We're a defensive says the Ann Arbor native and Eastern Michigan graduate. "We stress defense and have sold the kids on it." Ivory Coleman, a 6-2 center, has been the leading Norrix scorer with a 12.5 per game average. Jim Cole, a 5-8 guard, and Lester Dixon, a 5-7 guard, are averaging S.5 and 9.0, res pectively. Starting forwards are 5-11 Ron Brooks (7.0) and 6-4 Jim Leibrandt (5.0).

Ron West has averaged 6.5 in a reserve role. Gaunder plans to start Tom Armstrong at center, 6-1 Mike Ryan and 5-10 Kit Karsten at forwards and 5-9 Ed Ow i "It's apt to be rather hectic out there," says St. Joseph coach George Gaunder when commenting on the Bears' home and season opener Friday night against Kalamazo Loy Norrix. Gaunder sees a hectic Big Six encounter because both squads are small, quick and counting on defense to key their success. Gaunder and new Norrix coach Dave Court plan to do a lot of pressing while playing man-toman all the way.

Both teams are inexperienced with no returning starters, but Loy Norrix has the advantage of already having two games under its over Sturgis 57-37 and Kalamazoo mmmmm tilt 1 Its 9 la- mm 1 -A lit II 1 rifiiii practices aimed at playing a quick, harassing and trapping style ef defense designed to produce turnovers and inter cepted passes. Offensively, the Bear coach baa found his team's outside shooting to be a "little better than anticipated. at stake, Hayes shouted: "You don't win games on statistics." Hayes said he might favor a sudden-death playoff, "but for more than three exchanges of "The problem today is we 'don't accept decisions," he said. 'Tve always accepted decisions and the one 12 years ago whea OSU regents voted against Rose Bowl appearance watl pretty hard to take." After his stormy outburst, 1 Hayes calmed down. "I lost my eool out here for the first time.

If I don't watch out I'll end up like Bo Schembechler," said Hayes. Schembechler once suffered a heart attack. Gary Pelkey Honored As Laker MVP Offensive guard and defensiva linebacker Gary Pelkey was named the football team's most valuable player at the Lake Michigan Catholic sports award banquet Wednesday night Also receiving most valuable awards in other sports wera Tim Houseal in cross country, Jill Claeys in girls basketball and Kent Gleiss in golf. Other award winners in football were Kevin Van Arkle as the best defensive back, Leo Harvey as the best lineman and linebacker, Pat Kasischke as the best offensive back and Marty McCullough as the best offensive lineman. Al Ambutas was the most improved player.

Special football awards wera also given to John Meyers and Jamie Cordaro. Other awards in girls basketball were to Bib Griffin as most improved and Tina Schmid for best morale. PRESSURE'S ON: St. Joseph's' K. Stickney (35) applies the defensive pressure and Cindy Scheffler (right) heads for basket as Benton Harbor's Lois Atcher launches jump shot during Wednesday night's Class A district tournament game.

(Staff photo by Harry Smith) WWMHSWS8SISi i Burt Smith Admits He Voted For OSU CINCINNATI, Ohio (AP) Ohio State's Woody Hayes, hia temper frayed by repeated defense ef the decision sending his team to the Rose Bowl, said Wednesday a sudden-death playoff may be a future solution. Angered by a stream of questions en the heated subject, Hayes stalked away from a television interview muttering: "I've had all the talking en that." In Cincinnati to address an alumni group, Hayes later said the controversy ever the selection ef Ohio State instead of Big Ten co-champion Michigan is "typical of today, where every decision is questioned." Ohio State and Michigan played to a 10-10 tie Saturday in the title showdown. Big Ten athletic directors then voted to send Ohio State to the Row Bowl. "Neither of us wen," said Hayes. "So, it was up to the-athletic directors to make the they did.

"They have the legal machinery to make that decision but then they Michigan and head coach Bo Schembechler go and question the vote," said Hayes, flaring with emotion. Asked if statistics might be a future method to determine a winner in a game with so much Paul Seal Voted Michigan's MVP ANN ARBOR, Mich (AP) University ef Michigan tight end Paul Seal has been voted the football team's most valua-' ble player of 1973. Seal, 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, caught 14 passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns during the Wolverines' season. His coaches have called him the best blocking tight end ever to wear the maize and blue. I EAST LANSING, Mich.

(AP) Michigan State University Athletic Director Burt Smith told a cheering audience Wednesday night he voted for Ohio State to go to the Rose Bowl because the Buckeyes were "the best representative of the Big speaking at the school's annual football bust, said under Big Ten rules his vote for the Rose Bowl team had to be made in secret. He said he felt he had a "moral obligation" to support the rule and said his vote was made in the best interests of both the sports public and MSU. Smith said his choice was "based solely on athletic merits." No institutional jealousy was involved, he said, claiming his choice SOLO SHOT: Michelle Dudley (35) of Benton Harbor is all alone as she goes in for layup in Wednesday night's Class A district tournament game with St. Joseph. At right is Bears' Cindy Scheffler.

St. Joe rallied for 47-42 victory and advanced to Friday's championship game. (Staff photo by Harry Smith).