Three Games Booked For Class A Tourney Tonight (2-13-57)

One team will fall by the wayside tonight as the double elimination Tuscarawas County Class A Basketball League Tournament enters its second night of action with one consolation and two championship games scheduled. Competition will be getting tougher as play progresses and tonight's two championship games should be real thrillers, while the consy fracas should also prove a real squeaker. Dundee (1-20) and Tuscarawas (1-18), both losers in the first night of play to Port Washington (12-7) and Midvale (11-8), respectively, kickoff the tourney when they meet in the consy tilt at 6:30PM. At 7:45 PM Strasburg (17-1), the county league champions for five consecutive years, will display their talents against dangerous Baltic (13-7). The Tigers, beaten only by Sandy Valley, have copped 17 victories this year and are ranked third in the state according to this week's Associated Press Poll. Baltic, always a dangerous club to play since they have five players who are averaging in double figures. Included in the Eagles victories were wins over Port Washington and Midvale. The Bengals cagers will be required to play without their regular coach at their side. Coach Chuck Caniford, in his first year at the Tiger helm, was called to the Wheeling, West Virginia area Monday night when his brother-in-law, Edward Louis Youngblood, and Youngblood's wife were killed in an auto accident. Dale McDonald, head football and assistant basketball coach, will pilot Caniford's charges in his absence. In the third contest at 9PM, the young but ever improving Sugarcreek Pirates (10-10) take on sharp shooting Gnadenhutten (17-3). The Pirates hurt by the loss of two veteran players, have recovered sufficiently to pose as a threat to any team in the tourney. Gnaden, on the other hand boasts a top-notch record and tied with Stone Creek (16-4) for second spot in the county loop. The Tribe lost two games to Port Washington and one to Strasburg. Three more games are booked for Thursday night with Stone Creek and Tuscarawas Valley (15-4) making their initial appearances. The Panthers take on Midvale and the Trojans meet Port Washington in the championship bracket, while the losers of Wednesday night's games will meet in a consolation tilt. This week's tourney play will close with two consolation games on Saturday.

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Wednesday, February 13, 1957

The Daily Reporter

Dover, Ohio