winning streak, defeating the Cowboys, the Shawnees, and the Jackrabbits. Some of the guys said it
was Paul’s basket in the Gators game that had brought them luck.
If it was luck, some of it had rubbed off on Paul. He sank a field goal in the game against the Cowboys and one in the Shawnees
game. He was fouled in the jackrabbits game and given one shot, but missed it.
He didn’t play much, however. The coach didn’t dare let him. Paul couldn’t seem tolearn to pivot on one foot, nor to pass without getting the ball intercepted, nor to guard his man without grabbing hold of
him. To keep Paul in the game too long would be next to disastrous.
“He’d hurt the team,” Coach Munson explained to Glenn during the last quarter of the Jackrabbits game. “He’d hurt himself,
too. His mistakes would bother the devil out of him. But he’s come a long way. Just playing a little while in each game has
helped him. I can see that.”
“He’s best on foul shots,” Glenn put in.
“I see he is. Goes to show you what steady training will do. How are the boys treating him on the outside?”
Glenn shrugged. “I guess they’re better. Frog speaks to him all the time now. So does Stevie.”
“What about Don?”
“He does when he feels like it.”
“Don’t worry. He’ll come around, too. He’s like Paul, in a way. Some things come to him very, very slowly. He has to work
on it for a long time. He appreciates Paul. He just hates to admit it. One of these days he’ll come out of it like a chick
hatching out of an egg. You wait and see.”
The final game of the season was against the Blue Waves, on Tuesday, January 18. It was the Big Game. Both teams were tied
for second place, with nine wins and five losses each. The Gators had already clinched first place with thirteen wins and
two losses. They had beaten the Cowboys in the first game that evening. The poor Cowboys finished in the cellar with only
two wins and thirteen losses.
In the starting lineup were Andy Searles and Don Marshang at the forward positions,Jim Tilton at center, Glenn and Stevie Keester at the guard positions. The bleachers were nearly filled.
Tom Snow, the Blue Waves’ tall center, outjumped Jim and tipped the ball to a teammate. A couple of passes got the ball near
the Blue Waves’ basket. Glenn ran in to block the ball as a Blue Waves man started up with it and he struck the player’s wrist.
The whistle shrilled. He turned away in disgust, putting up his hand to show that he was the offender.
“Two shots,” said the ref. At least the player had not made the basket.
The Blue Wave sank the first, missed the second. There was a scramble for the ball. Hands came up with it. The ball flew up
against the boards, dropped through the net.
Glenn took the ball from out-of-bounds,passed to Don, and the Sabers moved it up-court. The Blue Waves, wearing satiny blue uniforms with white trim, hovered around
the basket. The Sabers couldn’t move in.
Don took a set shot from the corner. It struck the rim, bounced high. Jim went in for the rebound, struggled for it with the
Blue Waves’ tall center. He got it, passed it back. Glenn caught it, dribbled in, and laid it up. A basket!
“Beautiful, Glenn!” shouted Paul from the bench.
The Blue Waves took out the ball, moved it to their front court. Glenn tried to keep between his man and the ball as much
as possible. The Blue Wave was about his size, but was fast and shifty. Glenn had to keep on his toes every second.
Suddenly the man swung away from him. The ball came through the air like an orangebolt. Glenn leaped for it. It was just out of his reach. The Blue Wave caught it, went up. The ball arched over the ring.
Jim and Tom Snow leaped and came down with it together, and the whistle shrilled for a jump ball.
A horn sounded and Frog went in. He pointed at Glenn and Glenn went out. “The next time you’re in there try some corner shots,”
advised Coach
was Paul’s basket in the Gators game that had brought them luck.
If it was luck, some of it had rubbed off on Paul. He sank a field goal in the game against the Cowboys and one in the Shawnees
game. He was fouled in the jackrabbits game and given one shot, but missed it.
He didn’t play much, however. The coach didn’t dare let him. Paul couldn’t seem tolearn to pivot on one foot, nor to pass without getting the ball intercepted, nor to guard his man without grabbing hold of
him. To keep Paul in the game too long would be next to disastrous.
“He’d hurt the team,” Coach Munson explained to Glenn during the last quarter of the Jackrabbits game. “He’d hurt himself,
too. His mistakes would bother the devil out of him. But he’s come a long way. Just playing a little while in each game has
helped him. I can see that.”
“He’s best on foul shots,” Glenn put in.
“I see he is. Goes to show you what steady training will do. How are the boys treating him on the outside?”
Glenn shrugged. “I guess they’re better. Frog speaks to him all the time now. So does Stevie.”
“What about Don?”
“He does when he feels like it.”
“Don’t worry. He’ll come around, too. He’s like Paul, in a way. Some things come to him very, very slowly. He has to work
on it for a long time. He appreciates Paul. He just hates to admit it. One of these days he’ll come out of it like a chick
hatching out of an egg. You wait and see.”
The final game of the season was against the Blue Waves, on Tuesday, January 18. It was the Big Game. Both teams were tied
for second place, with nine wins and five losses each. The Gators had already clinched first place with thirteen wins and
two losses. They had beaten the Cowboys in the first game that evening. The poor Cowboys finished in the cellar with only
two wins and thirteen losses.
In the starting lineup were Andy Searles and Don Marshang at the forward positions,Jim Tilton at center, Glenn and Stevie Keester at the guard positions. The bleachers were nearly filled.
Tom Snow, the Blue Waves’ tall center, outjumped Jim and tipped the ball to a teammate. A couple of passes got the ball near
the Blue Waves’ basket. Glenn ran in to block the ball as a Blue Waves man started up with it and he struck the player’s wrist.
The whistle shrilled. He turned away in disgust, putting up his hand to show that he was the offender.
“Two shots,” said the ref. At least the player had not made the basket.
The Blue Wave sank the first, missed the second. There was a scramble for the ball. Hands came up with it. The ball flew up
against the boards, dropped through the net.
Glenn took the ball from out-of-bounds,passed to Don, and the Sabers moved it up-court. The Blue Waves, wearing satiny blue uniforms with white trim, hovered around
the basket. The Sabers couldn’t move in.
Don took a set shot from the corner. It struck the rim, bounced high. Jim went in for the rebound, struggled for it with the
Blue Waves’ tall center. He got it, passed it back. Glenn caught it, dribbled in, and laid it up. A basket!
“Beautiful, Glenn!” shouted Paul from the bench.
The Blue Waves took out the ball, moved it to their front court. Glenn tried to keep between his man and the ball as much
as possible. The Blue Wave was about his size, but was fast and shifty. Glenn had to keep on his toes every second.
Suddenly the man swung away from him. The ball came through the air like an orangebolt. Glenn leaped for it. It was just out of his reach. The Blue Wave caught it, went up. The ball arched over the ring.
Jim and Tom Snow leaped and came down with it together, and the whistle shrilled for a jump ball.
A horn sounded and Frog went in. He pointed at Glenn and Glenn went out. “The next time you’re in there try some corner shots,”
advised Coach
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