1924 BASKETBALL TEAM SUFFERED ONLY TWO DEFEATS

In its second year of revival as a recognized Freshman minor sport basketball has proven an unqualified success. The Yearling quintet has played a schedule of fourteen games, facing the strongest teams in New England secondary school circles, as well as the strong Yale 1924 team and several other college freshman teams, and receiving only two defeats.

Practice was called early in December with about thirty-five men reporting regularly, and the work was started immediately. Coach Wachter, assisted by Coach Miller, drilled the men in the fundamentals of passing, shooting and defense work for the first few weeks, and it was not until after the Christmas recess that the squad was really chosen, although several games were played with the University team and with a team of Business and Law School men.

Team Picked After Holiday

After the holiday, however, the squad was sent through intensive practice every day that brought the men rapidly into shape. The development of team play on the offense and of a strong five-man defense was especially emphasized, and by the time of the first game, with Worcester North High on January 16th, the combination which had been picked to start the contest showed great strength. In its initial fray the yearlings displayed unexpected power, overcoming the Worcester quintet 62-29. Lewis Gordon, star of last year's Gloucester High School five proved to be the star of the game, and after the game he was appointed acting captain and was later elected to that position. The next contest with the stellar Dartmouth yearlings was one of the hardest games of the season, the Freshmen winning in the last few minutes of play by the small margin of 40-34.

With prospects for a most successful season, the team scored decisive victories over Cushing Academy and St. George's respectively, and then defeated the weak New Hampshire State five by only a slight margin, showing a decided slump in their work. They displayed better all-around work against the Went-worth Institute five, however, but slumped again against Andover Academy, being defeated by the Blue, 30-32, in an overtime game on the Academy floor.

In Good Form for Tufts Game

After this game the spirit of the squad seemed at a low ebb, but with intensive work-outs Coach Wachter put fighting spirit into the men. They defeated Tufts 1924, Dean Academy, Reading High School, the Boston Y. M. C. A., Exeter, and Worcester Academy in good form, leading throughout most of the contests and playing with the same dash and spirit which marked the early season games. In the final game with Yale, however, the team again slowed up to a considerable extent, and this, coupled with the unfamiliar Yale floor, caused them to be defeated in a stiffly-contested game by the score of 25-17.

Individually the men showed themselves as valuable material for next year's University team. Captain Gordon led the scoring of the squad, being responsible for the majority of the baskets, as well as throwing over half of his attempted free throws. His general floor work and experience made him an invaluable man. At the other forward position D. R. Stevens did his share of the work, forming with Captain Gordon and J. H. Sipp, the center, a fast and clever offense. Sipp did his best work under the basket. In the backfield, J. L. Rudolsky was the star performer, his quickness in covering his man making his work stand out as worthy of note. He and Gordon should be the best material from the Freshman ranks for the University team next year. Isadore, Black, the other guard, also played in good form, keeping up his end of the game both on the defense and on the offense, and being responsible for several of the scores. The highest individual records were:   Baskets From the Floor.  Free Throws. Gordon,  104  109 Stevens,  78  ... Sipp,  72  ...

The results of the games were as follows: Freshmen,  62  Worcester North H. S.,  29 Freshmen,  40  Dartmouth 1924,  34 Freshmen,  35  Cushing Academy,  27 Freshmen,  34  St. George's,  20 Freshmen,  36  N. H. State 1924,  33 Freshmen,  57  Wentworth Institute,  16 Freshmen,  30  Andover Academy,  32 Freshmen,  27  Tufts 1924,  17 Freshmen,  51  Dean Academy,  20 Freshmen,  83  Reading High School,  14 Freshmen,  48  1920 Club, B.Y.M.C.A.,  25 Freshmen,  47  Worcester Academy,  17 Freshmen,  17  Yale 1924,  25 Total,  652  Total,  345

The results of the games were as follows: Freshmen,  62  Worcester North H. S.,  29 Freshmen,  40  Dartmouth 1924,  34 Freshmen,  35  Cushing Academy,  27 Freshmen,  34  St. George's,  20 Freshmen,  36  N. H. State 1924,  33 Freshmen,  57  Wentworth Institute,  16 Freshmen,  30  Andover Academy,  32 Freshmen,  27  Tufts 1924,  17 Freshmen,  51  Dean Academy,  20 Freshmen,  83  Reading High School,  14 Freshmen,  48  1920 Club, B.Y.M.C.A.,  25 Freshmen,  47  Worcester Academy,  17 Freshmen,  17  Yale 1924,  25 Total,  652  Total,  345