DOVER - The stage was set today with all the fancy lace trimmings close competition can give for the finals of the county's 22nd Annual Class B Basketball Tournament which will be staged at Memorial Hall tonight. Two games are on the program, a Consolation Division final and a Championship final, with 3 of the 4 competing teams qualifying to play in the Sectional Tournament here next week.
The Strasburg Tigers and Midvale Blue Devils gained playoff berths in the Consolation Division semi-finals last night before a crowd of 441 customers, the Tigers nosing out the Port Washington Purple Riders 54-49 in a "meller drammer" finish and Midvale nudging under the wire ahead of the Baltic Eagles 28-23.
While only 441 paid last night, the crowd that jammed its way into the hall for tonight's program is a cinch to break the all-time tournament attendance record of 5,856 set in 1941. Thus far the annual show of the B Cagers has drawn 5,164 through the turn-stiles and thus needs less than 700 to go over the mark, according to County Supt. W. E. Laws, Tournament Manager.
First-Year Head Coach Emmet Riley's Strasburg Tigers (3-1) (58-16), favored with the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates at the beginning of tournament play, had one of the narrowest of narrow escapes last night with the Port Washington Purple Riders (1-2) (7-28) rising on their hind legs and striking with almost superhuman force. Only a timely bit of shooting by Junior guard Jack Reiger in the final quarter saved the day for the Tigers after much of their progress was made by Junior forward Don Neidenthal, slick little forward.
Strasburg had things pretty much their own way in the 1st half, taking a 13-6 lead in the 1st quarter and forging ahead 24-16 at the half. But in as hot a 3rd stanza as the current meeting has seen, the Port Washington traded shot-for-shot with the Tigers in the 3rd period and then popped in a few of their own to outscore the favorites 21 to 17 and get back in the ball game.
After Strasburg had led as much as 14 points, 34-20, the Purple Riders began their rally and with Senior center Blaine Gilmore and Junior forward Clarence (Elmer) Linard potting 14 points between them, cut the gap to 2 points, 39-37, just before the end of the period. A follow-up by Neidenthal right at the end gave theTigers a 41-37 edge at the opening of the final chukker. The Bengals were quick to follow up their advantage in the 4th quarter and moved ahed 48-37 in rapid-fire fashion. But, Port took a time out, settled down and then returned to action.
After Blaine Gilmore potted another basket, Reiger boosted the Tigers' total to 50 and from there until the final minute Strasburg went scoreless. Meanwhile, the Riders slowly closed the gap, moving their own score from 39 to 41, 43, 45, 47, and 48 and then 49 with less than 2 minutes to play. Reiger then blew 2 successive free throws and with one minute left Senior guard Glen Stille hit an action shot from the foul circle to give his club a 3-point advantage and ice the contest. Reiger completed the scoring with a field goal under the basket just as the buzzer ended the game.
Neidenthal and Gilmore staged a 2-sided scoring duel with the Port Washington ace winning game scoring honors hitting 20 points to 19 points after Neidenthal was chased to the showers with 4 minutes remaining in the final chukker. He was the only player chased. Both Neidenthal and Gilmore had 9 field goals, but Blaine had 2 free throws to Don's one.
Reiger finished with 13 points for Strasburg, while his fellow cager Senior center Dallas Yackey scored 10 points. Port Washington's scoring ace Linard swished the hoops for 11 and Senior forward Ray Ludwig ended with 8 points.
STRABURG TIGERS - 54
Don Neidenthal F 9-1-19
Gene Bayer F 3-1-7
Dallas Yackey C 5-0-10
Glen Stille G 2-0-4
Jack Reiger G 6-1-13
Jack Haas F 0-0-0
R. Haas F 0-1-1
PORT WASHINGTON PURPLE RIDERS - 49
Ray Ludwig F 3-2-8
Clarence (Elmer) Linard F 5-1-11
Blaine Gilmore C 9-2-20
Duane Gilmore G 2-2-6
Jim Stocker G 0-0-0
Lorin Johns G 2-0-4
Saturday, February 26, 1944
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
GAMES TONIGHT 2-26-44
Strasburg vs Midvale 7:30PM (CC)
Sugarcreek-Shanesville vs Tusky 8:30PM (TC)
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