DOVER - For the 2nd straight year the Strasburg Tigers, Gnadenhutten Indians and Midvale Blue Devils find themselves in the semi-finals of the Annual Tuscarawas County Class B Basketball Tournament. And whether the tenacious Tigers and the bucket-bombing Blue Devils make it to the Championship round for the 2nd straight time will be decided tonight at Dover Memorial Hall.
The Bengals seeking its 15th Tournament Title, does battle with the Gnaden, while the Devils face the Port Washington Purple Riders after a 6:30 Consolation affair between the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates and the Dundee Bulldogs. The gymnasium doors will open at 5:30.
By 7:45, sensational Strasburg vies with the dangerous Tribe combine. Memorial Hall is expected to be taxed with its largest crowd of the tournament. Last week when the Tigers and Pirates played there were about 1,900 fans in attendance. Even more may be on hand tonight. The Port-Diablos fray will begin about 9.00. Tonight's semi-final winners will be assured of berths in next week's "B" Sectional Tournament at Memorial Hall, but will play for the county tournament tiara on Satuday night. Consequently much hands in the balance this evening. The losers too, will have a chance to make it to the Sectional because the county also qualifies its Consolation titlist.
Last year the Bengals tripped up Midvale 91-65 in the titular tussle after semi-final games saw Strasburg lick the Tuscarawas Broncos 85-73 and the Blue Devils eliminate the Tribe 64-60. The Tigers, unbeaten in 18 tries may be in for its toughest test; although, the Corsairs forced Head Coach Ken Newlon's Orange and Black to the hilt before bowing last week. Gnadenhutten has lost only 2 of 21 games, one of them a 73-65 reversal at the hands of the perennial county power. That loss snapped a 9-game winning streak for Gnaden.
Because of their record and that 8-point triumph, the Jim Kuecher-led Tigers will be in stalled as a slight favorite as will the Devils, which upended the Purple Riders 63-62 and 75-64 during regular campaigning. Sugarcreek-Shanesville and Dundee Bulldogs may come up with another spine-tingler in view of a previous fuss which wound up with the Bulldogs falling only 74-71. On Thusday night the Bengals-Indians loser will go against the Stone Creek Golden Panthers at 7:30 and the Pirates-Bulldogs winner will vie with the Devils-Riders loser at 8:45 in a pair of Consolation skirmishes.
In Harrison County the 2nd night of shooting is slated with the Scio Panthers (3-14) taking on co-champion Freeport Raiders (14-6). The Holmes County shindig resumes tomorrow night with the Walnut Creek Cardinals meeting the Big Paririe-Lakeville Bulldogs in a Consolation Division contest.
Tuesday, February 21, 1956
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
No comments:
Post a Comment