KENT - Their hopes for a crack at the State Class B High School Cage Championship blasted by a smart, fast and rugged Kent State University High School Blue Devils foe in their 1st appearance at the Kent Regional Tournament last night. Head Coach John Major's Bolivar Cardinals (6-2) (17-10) today packed their basketball toggery away for the season consoled by the fact that they had gone further in tournament play than any team in the history of the school. The Cardinals were nosed out 34-32 in a thrilling tilt after battling the highly touted Kent Staters to a standstill the greater part of the fracas, outcome of which was in doubt until the timer's gun ended hostilities.
The Kent passers advanced to the finals of Regional Tournament play where tonight they will battle Waynesburg, conquerers of Hartville, for a place in next week's State finals tournament to be held at Columbus. The Cardinals end a highly successful season of campaigning with a record of 17 victories and 10 defeats. They were runner-up to the Gnadenhutten Indians in the Tuscarawas County Tournament and then swept the Sectional and District titles before moving into Regional play which in ordinary years corresponds to the early rounds of the State Tournament.
The Cards fought an uphill battle throughout last night's game, played before a capacity crowd at the Kent State University Gym which is the home court of the Kent State High School Blue Devils. The latters fact was perhaps the deciding factor in Bolivar's defeat since the Red Birds tried noticeably in the final half on the huge playing floor. The victors opened strong in the initial period to build up a 12-2 lead, but the Cardinals came back in the 2nd quarter with Captain Senior forward Warren Klink showing the way and cut the margin to a single point at halftime which ended 18-17.
Klink took a pass from guard Keene Lebold on the opening tip-off of the 2nd half to score from close in and repeated with another field goal on a fast break to put his team ahead 21-18, but the Blue Devils came from behind again to take a 30-26 edge at the end of the 3rd quarter. Bolivar fought desperately in the final quarter, but were never able to catch the Kent cagers.
The game was clean and fast throughout, only 6 personal fouls being assessed against each team. Klink led the Cardinal attack with 14 points (7 field goals), but he trailed forward Dick Benson, Kent scoring ace, who amassed 17 points (8 field goals and a free throw). Bolivar's center Russ Ross played a brilliant defensive game and notched 8 points for the losers. Benson's teammate, guard B. Smith, followed him up with 6 points. Kent secured their victory margin in the field goal department where they outdistanced the losers 15-14. Both teams caged 4 points at the free throw line. Every player on the floor scored!
KENT STATE UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL BLUE DEVILS - 34
Dick Benson F 8-1-17
Lukdick F 1-0-2
Renkert C 0-1-1
J. Smith G 2-0-4
B. Smith G 2-2-6
Steuber G 2-0-4
BOLIVAR CARDINALS - 32
Warren Klink F 7-0-14
Keene Lebold F 1-1-3
Russ Ross C 3-2-8
Bill Zutasvern G 1-1-3
Jim Augsberger G 1-0-2
Paul Lab G 1-0-2
Saturday, March 20, 1943
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
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