The 1957 Gnadenhutten Indians Basketball Team is boasting one of the best records (23-3) in years and this victory against the unbeaten Springfield Local Flying Tigers 67-58 is a crowning achievement in stopping the Flying Tiger's 23 straight victory string. FRONT: Larry Clark - Ed Shull - Bill Wallace - Tom Frank - Jerry McKeown and Everett Dixon. BACK: Head Coach Dick Scott - Alvin Cappell - Eldon Miller - Larry Biggs - Tom Roth - Larry Gooding - Ron Bradley - Steve Hamilton and Assistant Coach Larry Bradley.
DOVER - The undefeated Springfield Local Flying Tigers (23-1), perennial powerhouse of Jefferson County, were grounded last night for the 1st time in 24 games...and it was the Gnadenhutten Indians (6-0) (23-3) who did the trick. Unsullied in 23 previous cage clashes, the Flying Tigers had their proud string of successes abruptly terminated as Head Coach Dick Scott's Indians came up with a 67-58 victory to advance to the finals of the Eastern Ohio District Class A Basketball Tournament at Dover's Memorial Hall.
The Midvale Blue Devils (16-9) carry the Tuscarawas County colors into tonight's District playoff tilt against the Adena Golden Waves (14-7). Game time is 8:00, with the winner to meet Gnadenhutten on Saturday night for the Regional Tournament berth at Canton next week. Doors open at 7:00 tonight. Seemingly unperturbed by the impressive record boasted by their opponents, Gnaden went to work to methodically grind out their 13th consecutive triumph and their 23th victory as against only 3 regular season setbacks, as well as being unbeaten in 6 straight tournament contests.
Senior forward 6-0 Eldon Miller, who led the way (a common occurrence) with 24 points, scored the first 3 points for the Tribe's 1st lead as one minute and 50 seconds were consumed before forward 6-0 Tom Elson's pair of free throws broke the ice for Springfield Local. The lead changed hands on 5 occasions during the opening 8 minutes and the count was knotted twice before the Warriors grabbed a 10-8 margin at the end of the 1st quarter.
After Elson's action shot had tied the score at 10-10 as the 2nd frame got under way, Senior forward 6-1 Larry Biggs hit from action to put the Scarlet and Gray back on top 12-10 and the Gnadenhutten Indians never again were in the shadow of Springfield Local. Miller swished a jump shot and then, after Jim McBane of the Tigers had netted his 1st of 2 action shots, Miller came back with 2 more fielders and a brace of free throw tosses.
Little Senior guard 5-7 Larry Clark got into the act with 2 jumping 2-pointers and Biggs hit from action to conteract 3 field goals by big 6-4 center Duane Boyd for the Flying Tigers and the halftime score was 26-19 with the Indians in front. With Senior guard Larry Bradley subing for Junior center 6-2 Tom Roth, Gnadenhutten matched points with Springfield Local for half of the 3rd stanza and led 36-30 midway in the period when Roth returned to the lineup to complete the only substitutions made by the 2 teams.
Roth hit a basket and a free throw shot, while Boyd's free throw and 3 straight free throw tosses by Elson completed the Springfield scoring in the quarter. However, Clark and Roth each scored field goals for Gnaden and the Tuscarawas Countians were on top 43-35 going past the far turn. A sudden flurry of action shots by both teams zoomed the score to 55-43 with 5 minutes remaining to give the Tribe its biggest lead of the game. Roth tallied 3 straight goals, while Elson and Boyd each hit 2 consecutively for the Tigers during the rush.
With the score 59-53 with only 1:40 remaining, the Springfield Local Flying Tigers realized their unbeaten skein was about to go down the drain and in desperation began fouling the Warriors in a futile effort to gain possession of the ball. During the ensuing closing seconds, the Scarlet and Gray was granted 9 chances from the free throw line and succeeded in making good on 8 attempts to further clinch the victory.
The Gnadenhutten Indians hit a respectable 40 percent of its action flings, sinking 26 baskets in 65 attempts, while the Flying Tigers made good on 23 of 73 tries for 31 percent. Only 28 personals were assessed, evenly divided and the Indians swished 15 of 24 free throws, while Springfield was successful on 12 of 22 tries.
Boyd, who scored 17 of his points in the 2nd half, shaded Miller for scoring laurels by hitting 25 points and teammate Elson was runner-up with 17. Clark and Roth each had 14 for Gnaden with Roth scoring only one point in the 1st half, while Bob Sutton had 12 for the losers. Biggs and Junior 5-7 guard Ed Shull, the playmaker for the Tribe, completed the Warrior pointmaking with 8 and 7 respectively.
GNADENHUTTEN INDIANS 67
Eldon Miller 8-8-24
Larry Biggs 4-0-8
Tom Roth 6-2-14
Larry Clark 6-2-14
Ed Shull 2-3-7
Larry Bradley 0-0-0
SPRINGFIELD LOCAL FLYING TIGERS
Jim McBane 2-0-4
Tom Elson 6-5-17
Duan Boyd 105-25
Don Genetin 0-0-0
Bob Sutton 5-2-12
GNADENHUTTEN 10-26-43-67
SPRINGFIELD...........8-19-35-58
Thusday, March 7, 1957
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
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