PHOTO: Midvale Blue Devils Coach - Pete Hilliard (22-2)*
It's a time-tested fact that five good men are better than two good ones - at least in basketball. But, last night in Canton's Memorial Fieldhouse, Northwestern's defending State Champions went a long way to throwing cold water on that theory. They thumped Midvale's Blue Devils (22-2) in the opening game of the Class "A" Regional Tournament. Northwestern (24-2) will tangle with Old Washington of Guernsey County tonight at 8 with the winner gaining the coveted berth in the State Tournament at Columbus next week. Old Washington gained the final game by belting Braceville 79-56 in the second game of last night's doubleheader which was witnessed by 6,125 fans. The Midvale loss shattered any hopes that might have been entertained by Tuscarawas County cage fans to bring in a State title this year. There will be other seasons - but it is hard to believe that they will match the one just finished. New Philadelphia joined the Blue Devils in sweeping through Sectional and District Tournament play - but it too met its waterloo in its opening Regional test. But by gaining the "Sweet 16" group, the Quakers and Devils put two county quintets in that level of tourney competition for the first time since the 1948-1949 campaign. New Philadelphia and Midvale were also representatives that season.
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Last night, Northwestern used two men to stop the balanced Midvale machine, which had proved more than adequate in all but one other case this season. Dean Chance and Boze Johnson, the only two returning regulars from last season's classy State champ outfit, teamed to give the Devils more than their share of troubles. Then too, Midvale, after staying within striking distance for three periods, saw its game fall way off its usual true course in the final stanza. Bad passes, fouls and poor shooting, which resulted in only two field goals, put the Huskies in solid. Chance, a 6-3 center, scored only five points in the first period, but in the second period went to work and boosted it to 14. At the same time he kept Midvale's pivot man, Bill Housel, under close guard and limited the Devil veteran to two free throws. Chance ended the night with 26 and game laurels with many of those putting the Huskies out of reach in the nip-and-tuck play that took place in the first three periods. Johnson was the floor man supreme of the Huskie attack, moving with the skill of the cage veteran. He ended the night with 18 markers. Several times he moved through the Midvale press for easy buckets. Dave Fuhrman was the only other Huskie in double figures. He ended with 10. Midvale had all five starters in the double figure column, but it wasn't enough to top the 1-2 punch of Northwestern. Tom Krocker led the way with 13, while Ron Breniser and Dave Belknap caged 12 and 11, respectively. Hanes Hairston and Housel dumped in 10 each. Midvale Coach Pete Hilliard, in winding up his fifth season at the Blue Devil helm, had little to say following the defeat. "This is probably the best team we played all season, but that last quarter is also the worst basketball we played all season." Northwestern Coach Dan Baker, although jubliant his team had won, also was noncommittal, busy hustling his players home for a good night's rest for tonight's finale. He did; however, explain that he was not exactly pleased with the officiating which saw a total of 24 personals called against his lads and only 11 against Midvale - most of those coming in the final period.
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In the first half only three personals were called against Midvale's loose playing defense. Almost from the start the Huskies were in personal foul trouble, but it did not deter their game as only one starter fouled out - guard Dwight Wasson with 4:31 to go. Fuhrman, Chance and sub Jim McClure ended the game with four apiece. Midvale was ahead only once in the contest - that 1-0 at the outset. In the second period it tied the score 25-25 and late in the same chapter narrowed the count to 33-32. But each time the Huskies punched out in front. They were on top 19-16 and 37-32 at the end of the first two periods. Midway in the third period, Midvale was behind only 47-44, but the Huskies turned on the speed, running only when they had to and in between playing a smooth control game. They rolled to a 55-44 lead with 1:18 to go. The Blue Devils cut it to 59-51 early in the final stanza, but couldn't find the range from the field to go any further. The Blue Devils meshed 21 of 56 goal attempts for 36.1 percent, but made only 14 of 28 free throws. Northwestern fired the hoops for 52.1 percent by connecting 33 times in 63 attempts. It made 7 of 15 from the charity line.
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NORTHWESTERN HUSKIES 73
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Dean Chance 12-2-26
Boze Johnson 9-0-18
Dave Fuhrman 4-2-10
Dwight Wasson 2-0-4
Russ Gortner 4-1-9
Kinney 1-0-2
McClure 1-2-4
Palmer 0-0-0
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MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS 57
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Dave Belknap 5-1-11
Hanes Hairston 3-4-10
Tom Krocker 4-5-13
Bill Housel 4-2-10
Jim Clark 0-0-0
Ron Breniser 5-2-12
Leonard DeMattio 0-1-1
Warren Leggett 0-0-0
John Everett 0-0-0
Dale Stansbury 0-0-0
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Saturday, March 14, 1959
Norm Singleton, Sports Editor
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
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