The Dover St. Joseph Ramblers' Senior forward Sam Mascotti drives in for a bunny shot last night at Memorial Hall with the Ramblers leading the Stone Creek Golden Panthers and won the contest 66-62 in the final canto. The Saints won, but Mascotti failed on his attempt. Other cagers shown are Freshman forward Bill Jones (16) and Sophomore forward Jim Lorenz (15) of the Golden Panthers and Senior forward Barney Lawless (8) of Dover St. Joseph.
DOVER - Head Coach Joe Drotovick of the Dover St. Joseph Ramblers edged back in his seat, crossed his legs and started to sweat profusely last night as he played a long shot in the last canto of the 2nd game of the Northeastern Sectional Tournament between Dover St. Joseph and the Stone Creek Golden Panthers at Memorial Hall. And it paid off! The Ramblers, experiencing a terrific night from the field, roared past the Golden Panthers' brilliant County Tournament Champions 66-62. The curtain raiser saw the Dennison Railroaders write finis to the giant-killing ways of the Tuscarawas Broncos 59-34 in a listless struggle.
Tonight's tilts will pit the Millersburg Knights against Killbuck at 7:30 and the Baltic Eagles, Runner-up in the county tournament, against a power-packed Big Prairie Bulldog quintet. And if tonight's action is anything approaching the torrid final game last night, cage fans are in for another spine-tingling event.
Although the Stone Creek Golden Panthers (3-1) (11-12) will hang up their togs until next year, they played the Championship ball last night that copped them the county tournament crown. And they fell gracefully in the manner of true Champions. But, the heart-breaking end to the Golden Panthers' sensational climb to the top of the heap didn't come before they...or super...colossal Freshman forward Bill Jones, that is...placed Head Coach Drotovick of the Dover St. Joseph Ramblers (13-8) in a position where he had to do something...and quick!
With Jones burning the nets for 17 points in the 3rd stanza alone to practically single-handedly put the Panthers back in the ball game after they had trailed 31-22 at the half, Coach Drotovick assigned Senior forward Sam Mascotti, who also turned in a sensational performance, to stick to Jones like a leech. He was shouldering 4 big personal fouls at the time, in addition to keeping the torrid Rambler pace in high gear. Had the Blue and Gold mentor not assigned a special-deluxe guard to smother every move of Jones, the Freshman hotshot probably would have topped his 31 point production during the county tournament.
But, as it was, he went scoreless in the final frame. And right along with Mascotti's defensive effort went Stone Creek's defeat. The Golden Panthers, who had 4 other good scorers, would have been still in the ball game if they could have made the adjustment required with Jones being stymied. But, there wasn't enough time.
However, in that last canto it was strictly a struggle between 2 brilliant scorers. There's no doubt about that, anyway you look at it. Mascotti would up the night by canning 24 points, while Jones topped all others on the floor with 27, a fine performance to close the season with. But it was Mascotti's efforts throughout the tilt that spelled doom for the Panthers. The aggressive 5-8 razor-sharp passing game around the pivot slot which opened up the keyhole to permit Senior forward Barney Lawless to uncork his favorite jump shop to the happy tune of 19 points.
Both cagers; however, turned in a smooth team-effort under the offensive boards and when they were snowed in, they whipped the ball to Big Junior center Don Yosick who created havoc from the corners. He kept Dover St. Joseph in the running in the 3rd stanza and went to the dressing room with his highest total of the year...18. Only 2 other cagers hit the scoring column for the Ramblers, Senior guard Louis Bauer had 3 and guard Alex Webster picked up 2.
The Stone Creek hoopster who took over the scoring rains in the final stretch when Jones was being corralled by Mascotti was Lorenz. He collected 8 in that period to push his total to 15. Senior guard Willis Ridenour, who was given the chore of guarding Mascotti in the last round, netted 8 markers on his southpaw corner shot and 2 from the free throw line for a total of 10. He is the only Senior on the Panther starting five. His teammates, Juniors center Jerry Gasser and guard Ken Heid had 5 and 2 points respectively.
With Jones and Mascotti battling it out, the 1st quarter saw both teams race neck and neck to the wire with the count knotted at 14. But in the 2nd frame Stone Creek cooled as the St. Joseph team sparked by Mascotti and Lawless,rolled to a 31-22 halftime margin. The Ramblers and Stone Creek's Jones, who matched the entire Blue and Gold's production of 17 points, would up the 3rd period in a 48-48 deadlock. But with Mascotti collecting 9 big points, Yosick 6 and Lawless 3, Dover St. Joseph won their right to meet the Malvern Green Hornets Friday night at 8:45.
DOVER ST. JOSEPH RAMBLERS - 66
Sam Mascotti F 10-4-24
Barney Lawless F 9-1-19
Don Yosick C 8-2-18
Alex Webster G 1-0-2
Jerry Platz G 0-0-0
Louis Bauer G 1-1-3
STONE CREEK GOLDEN PANTHERS - 62
Bill Jones (359) F 12-3-27
Jim Lorenz (362) F 5-5-15
Jerry Gasser C 3-2-8
Willis Ridenour G 4-2-10
Don Miller G 0-0-0
Jerry Billman G 0-0-0
Ken Reid G 1-0-2
Thursday, February 28, 1952
Ray Stull, Sportswriter
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
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