61 - Gnaden Suprises Tuscarawas Valley 70-57 (2-23-61)

 PHOTO:  First year Gnadenhutten Indians Coach Ron Sakola is only 24 years old and had a background of 2 years coaching experience.  After graduating from Miami in 1958, he served in the Elyria High system, where he coached JuniorHigh basketball, football and track.  Last year he was at New Philadelphia, assisting varsity football and track and as freshman basketball coach.  The native of West Alexandria, 16 miles west of Dayton, where he lettered 4 years in basketball and football,  has come up with what many regard as the surprise team of the tournament.  The Indians dropped 2 games to Garaway in regular season competition.  The first was by a monstrous 81-61 score early in the season.  But on January 20 the Tribe almost snared an upset victory over the Bucs, bowing only 40-38.  Runnerup to Garaway and Tuscarawas Valley with a 6-2 league record, Sakola also has a strong defensive unit.  It was third behind Garaway, which was No. 1 and Tuscarawas Valley.  Characteristics of  Sakota's team have been a strong 3-2 defense and team effort.  Sakola has also instituted a program for grade school basketball teams at Gnaden which he hopes will pay future dividends. 

PHOTO:  GREASED BASKETBALL - Ray Rank (15) of Gnadenhutten must think the basketball had grease on it as he tries to gain a firm hold on it in  last night's game with Tuscarawas Valley.  Others in the picture are teammate Brad Kaiser (44) and Mike Widder of the Trojans.

DENNISON - Gnadenhutten (13-7) rolled to an 8-2 lead over Tuscarawas Valley (13-7) in the first period when the  Trojans called time with 4:52 remaining.  But it could not stop the warpath tramping Indians who defeated the Trojans 54-49 on January 21 of this year.  Coach Ron Sakola's crew, taking advantage of the fact that Tusky Valley's ace rebounder Rod Cropper was on the bench with a sprained knee, held control of the backboards...and the game throughout.  Except for a third quarter surge by the Trojans when they went into a pressing defense, Gnaden never faltered.  After leading 13-8 at the first stop and 31-22 at halftime the Indians saw their lead trimmed to 3 points twice and 2 points on 3 other occasions and took a narrow 42-40 margin into the final quarter.  TV knotted the count 44-44 with 7:04 to play when Bill Huth hit a jumper from outside.  The score was then tied at 46-46 and 48-48 before Gnaden pulled away for keeps.  Consecutive goals by Bill Blickensderfer and 2 by Ray Rank upped the count by 6 points.  In the final 5 minutes of action the Indians poured coal to the fire and outscored the Trojans 22-9 to win going away.  Rank, a husky 6-3 performer, led the Indian attack with 20 points.  Blickensderfer tallied 14, Bob Ervin 12 and Dave Struchen 11.  Half of Rank's points came in the final period march.  "They hustled and that's our main forte," young Ron Sakola, Gnaden's coach, remarked.  "It was good team work and we're looking forward to Saturday night."  The Tribe played without the services of regular forward Carl Dichler who suffered a torn ligament in his knee this week in practice.  He will be out for the remainder of the season.  Stepping in for a fine role in his place was John Weaver, who was  commended by Sakola.  "Rebounding killed us, but I thought we did as well as could be  expected," Bob Heller of the Trojans said.  In comparing the Trojans' loss of Cropper with Gnaden's loss of Dichler he said, "you can lose a man out front and it won't hurt too much, but when you lose your big rebounder it's tough."  "Everyone gave their all," he added.  They gave their best...but the best just wasn't quite enough tonight."  Ron Lake, the Trojans' 5-6 pepperpot, poured  in 23 points and Mike Widder followed with 17, while the usual high-scoring Jim Studer was limited to 6.  The Trojans connected 28 times in 63 tries from the field for 41.2 percent, but made only 5 of 13 foul shots, despite the fact that personal foul calls were practically even.  Gnaden, which made 15 of 24 free throws, hit 27 of 61 action attempts for 44 percent.

GNADENHUTTEN INDIANS - 70

Ray Rank 8-4-20
Bob Ervin 4-4-12
Brad Kaiser 3-1-7
John Weaver 3-0-6
Bill Blickensderfer 7-0-14
Dave Struchen 2-7-11

TUSCARAWAS VALLEY TROJANS - 57

Ron Lake 10-3-23
Al Cerett 2-0-4
Mike Widder 8-0-16
Jim Studer 2-2-6
Nemetz 0-0-0
Bill Huth 3-0-6
Chuck Ferren 1-0-2


Friday, February 24, 1961
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio