Senior Don Gepfert, Strasburg Tigers forward (33) blazes through the Scio Panthers defenses for a shot on Wednesday night as the Tigers upset the Powerhouse Panthers 66-59 in the Class B District Tournament at Steubenville. The defeat tumbled the Cats from the State's unbeaten class and eliminated them from further tournament play. Senior Jim Huffman (99), great Strasburg center, is also in on the play as are Scio's scoring ace, forward Bob Hugh (24), center Jerry Thompson (31) and guard Gordon Bower (30). PHOTO BY THE DAILY REPORTER PHOTOGRAPHER RALPH MCKEE.
STEUBENVILLE - The Strasburg Tigers (7-1) (22-5), an outsider when the Class B District basketball parings were announced last Sunday, came snarling out in their role as underdogs on Wednesday night in the Big Red gym at Steubenville to mount a mighty offensive which toppled the unbeaten Scio Panthers (24-1) 66-59 and landed the Tigers a berth in the finals Saturday night. It was a brilliant victory for 2nd-Year Head Coach Don Martin and his Bengals. It ended a 24-game Panthers' hopes of a State title crashing to the floor together with the myth of invincibility which has surrounded the Harrison countians this year.
Strasburg will collide with the winner of tonight's Midvale Blue Devils-Yorkville Ductillites game in the District Tournament finals Saturday night at 7:45PM. The District winner will advance to the Youngstown Regional Tournament next week. So decisive was the Strasburg triump last night, so thoroughly did the sleek Tigers dominate play that Scio was only able to forge 2 leads, both in the 3rd stanza.
It was a team victory for Strasburg, but the brilliance of Seniors, guard John Reiger, center Jim Huffman and guard Dick Froman, stood out a little above the rest. Scio, possessing a tremendous height advantage, was unable to employ this advantage as the Tiger's sliding zone defenses kept the Panthers' fast break throttled down in the scoring zones.
All-Ohio Bob (The Colonel) Hugh, the 6-3 forward and Gordon Bower, 6-2 guard, posted 45 points between them, but were no match for the marksmanship of Huffman, Reiger, Froman, Senior forward Norman Couts and Gepfert.
Strasburg grabbed a 5-0 lead in the 1st quarter before the amazed Panthers could notch their 1st point. Pressing this advantage, the Tigers moving the ball rapidly, riddled the Scio defenses and rolled up a 20-13 first period lead.
Huffman, a great pivot man last night, poured in 9 points as he ranged under the Strasburg nets. Couts and Froman, set shooting from the front and side, added further to Scio's confusion. The Panthers, a great team even though beaten, rallied in the 2nd period to pull even at 26-26 on a fast break shot by forward Lowell Bandy near the end of the 2nd quarter. A set shot from the side by Froman placed the lead back in the Tigers hands 28-26 as the half ended.
In the 3rd quarter, Scio made its greatest bid for victory, but failed as Strasburg, brilliant when the chips were down, fought off the threat and held its lead. Midway in the 3rd period, Scio took the lead for the 1st time in the game on a pivot shot by Bower 32-31. For 3 minutes, the advantage swung back and forth until Reiger, with the score knotted 35-35, meshed a set shot from out front. Bower matched this with a pivot shot, but Huffman sent the Tigers back into the lead to stay with a layup under the nets.
With Couts, Gepfert, Froman and Huffman unleashing an offensive which bewildered the Panthers, Strasburg nearly made a rout of the battle near the end of the 3rd stanza. The cutting and driving of the Tigers produced a 51-41 lead as the last period opened.
It became apparent that Scio's string had ended before the 4th canto was 3 minutes old. Couts, Huffman and Froman continued their deadly assault on the nets and a last ditch effort by Hugh and Bower only reduced the Strasburg margin, but never threatened to overhaul it. Strasburg led 63-52 at the automatic timeout period and stalled a greater share of the last 3 minutes.
Huffman's 21 points led the Strasburg scoring, while Froman netted 15, Couts 11, and Gepfert and Reiger 8 each. The losing Scio team was led by the one-two punch of Hugh and Bower with 25 and 20 points.
The victory was the 22nd in 27 starts for the Tigers this season. Midvale's Blue Devils, Tuscarawas County Champions and the defending District kings, meet their 1st test tonight in the Steubenville Gymnasium.
Yorkville's Ductillites already hold one decision over Head Coach Bill French's quintet this year and will be gunning for a berth in the finals against Strasburg. The Ductillites possess a slight height advantage over the Blue Devils. The starting Yorkville forwards are both over the 6-foot mark. Al Gaudio is 6-0 and Dick Lewis is 6-2. Don Fior, at center, 6-3, while the guards, Vince Orban and Artie Runge, are 6-0 and 5-7.
A total of 475 tickets will be sold in Strasburg for the District finals Saturday night for 75 cents each. Tickets were placed on sale today at Houglan's Drug Store, Garver Bros. and the high school building.
STRASBURG TIGERS - 66
Norman Couts F 4-3-11
Don Gepfert F 2-4-8
Jim Huffman C 10-1-21
John Reiger G 4-0-8
Dick Froman G 7-1-15
Tom Miller G 1-1-3
SCIO PANTHERS - 59
Bob Hugh 11-3-25
Lowell Bundy F 1-0-2
Tom McGinnis F 0-0-0
Hilbert F 2-1-5
Jerry Thompson C 1-0-2
Gordon Bower G 8-4-20
Floyd Bonnell G 2-1-5
Thursday, March 9, 1950
Rex Ridenour, Sports Editor
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
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