DOVER - The end of a two-year quest for the basketball title of Tuscarawas County came Saturday night at Legion Hall for the Blue Devils of Midvale (4-0) (8-3). They defeated the Gnadenhutten Indians (2-1) (12-7), the team that cheated them out of the trophy last year, in a spirited championship battle. Long shots in the final quarter gave the Blue Devils a lead which desperate efforts of last year's champions could not alter. Midvale deserved the verdict, but it was a heart-breaker for Gnaden to lose.
The Indians went into the final canto with a 4-point lead. Guard R. Stevenson banged away from mid-court and the lead was cut to 2 points. Forward P. Stevenson, the sensational Freshman, dropped in a field goal from the center of the floor. Guard Pizzini shot one from way back and the Blue Devils were out in front, riding high, wide and handsome. A Midvale player let another loose fling from mid-court. Fascinated and highly rattled, the Indians watched its flight. It banged against the bank-board, slanted forward into the waiting arms of P. Stevenson and that young man leaped high to slip it through the hoop in a pretty follow-in toss. Midvale led 23-19. There were 5 minutes left to play, but Gnaden could score only one goal, a sucker shot by forward Clarence Fox who was sent in when Homer Kohl, Gnadenhutten's superb center, went out on 4 fouls.
Midvale did not stall. The Devils went for the bucket. Forward-center Baldwin tossed a foul, R. Stevenson dribbled under for a pot-shot. Baldwin chalked another free toss and Pizzini followed with a foul toss of his own. The final period was the last stage of the game which saw the Indians completely outclassed. Probably the losers were somewhat handicapped by the absence of their All-Tournament forward from last year, Riley, who was withheld one period and was late in getting back in the game because of his 3 fouls. Head Coach Pilkington, who guided Midvale to the championship, sent in a group that contained the name of only one regular, at the start of the title tilt. Gradually, the regulars shifted into the game. The move proved a good one because some of the 1st-team players rested nearly an entire period, while substitutes held Gnaden even.
MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS - 29
Cline 0-1-1
P. Stevenson 4-0-8
White 1-0-2
Baldwin 2-1-5
Riker 1-1-3
Walker 0-0-0
R. Stevenson 2-0-4
Pizzini 2-2-6
Baumholtz 0-0-0
GNADENHUTTEN INDIANS - 21
Jack Hearing 0-0-0
Gene Ridgeway 1-0-2
Ed Riley 2-0-4
Homer Kohl 2-4-8
Clarence Fox 1-0-2
Clark 2-1-5
Perry Ames 0-0-0
Monday, March 2, 1931
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
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