Season 1953-1954 (1-6-54)

Before the season began, Strasburg Tigers were picked to repeat as champions in the Tuscarawas County Class B League. Sugarcreek-Shanesville and Tuscarawas were ranked next with Stone Creek and Midvale pushing the top three. Baltic was marked as the dark horse in the race for the circuit's basketball honors with Dundee, Mineral City, and Port Washington next in line and Bolivar and Gnadenhutten at the bottom of the list. The circuit is now at the threshold of the second half of the season and the picture is slightly different at this stage of the race.
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Strasburg is on top of the heap with five straight league victories but right there in the same position are the Baltic Eagles, flying high above several of the preseason favorites. Baltic and Strasburg will battle for supremacy on the Tiger hardwood Friday night in the league's game of the week. The winner of this tussle could be classed as the kingpin, but both teams face rugged tests in the other four league engagements. Strasburg has defeated Tuscarawas, but has yet to meet Sugarcreek-Shanesville and Stone Creek. The Tigers will have to face both of these tough customers on the opponents' floor in the last two league games of the season. The Tigers, should they get by Baltic, may have a tough time on the Stone Creek floor, but the Panthers will be without the services of Jim Lorenz by that time and may not be as formidable. The pirates of Sugarcreek-Shanesville can always be dangerous.
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Baltic, should the Eagles upset the dope sheet and fly past the Tigers, will have an even tougher time since they will have to battle Sugarcreek-Shanesville, Tuscarawas and Port Washington, in addition to Dundee. The Eagles slipped past Dundee 65-61 in an earlier non-league meeting and will have to meet Port Washington and Tuscarawas on their floor in the last two games of the season. Despite the fact that Strasburg is favored to grab the bunting for the second straight season, the second-half of the league race should offer plenty of fireworks, starting with Friday night.
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Dundee and Mineral City have bounced up as expected and either team could give the rest of the league plenty of trouble. Strasburg has gotten by both of these hurdles while Baltic downed Mineral City easily. Tuscarawas is not out of the race by any matter or means. The Broncos were trounced by Strasburg, but they have the height, scoring punch and polish to bounce right back into the picture should the Bengals slip. Stone Creek won't have the services of their sparkplug, Jim Lorenz, after January 27, but the Panthers tangle with Tuscarawas, Midvale and Port Washington before that deadline. Sugarcreek-Shanesville may have plenty to say about who wins what in the second half. The Pirates have lost two games, but those games with the two leaders loom as tough hurdles.
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The picture hasn't really changed too much since the outset of the season except for Midvale's nosedive into the cellar. The Blue Devils haven't come up with the expected scoring power and several close decisions have added to their plight. Port Washington, forced to go without Ken Huston in several outings, slipped slightly, but the Purple Riders could finish up in the first division yet with Huston rounding back into form after the layoff. Friday night's action will be the most crucial of the season thus far in the league. The games will have an important hearing on the final outcome for not just one or two teams, but for all of the 11 squads.
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Wednesday, January 6, 1954
Art Cicconetti
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio