62- Garaway Trounces Baltic 52-43 (2-23-62)

PHOTO:  ZERO GRAVITY - This basketball seems to be "hanging" in space, much the same as spaceman John Glenn's camera on his round-the-world flight.  Making passes at the ball are, from left, Dick Gerber (5) of Baltic, Wayne Burkey (43) of Garaway and Willis Mullet of Baltic.  Garaway won 52-43 to gain  tonight's finals.

NEW PHILADELPHIA - Only a strong last quarter surge by Baltic (10-12) kept the game from complete boredom.  The Pirates of Garaway (17-5) led all the way and despite the final score, the game was never close.  Baltic was colder than the ice that covered everything outside the gym and  made driving conditions hazardous.  For awhile it appeared that the Eagles might go scoreless in  the first quarter.  But, with 1:56 left, Larry Kaser dropped in a foul shot to break the spell.  The Eagles went zero for 16 in the opening stanza and triggered 7 more shots in  the second period before jack Miller connected for the first field goal at 5:33.  Baltic ended the first half with an almost unbeliveable poor 8 percent from the field,  making only 3 of 35 shots.  While Baltic was trying to pry the lid off the basket, Garaway was waltzing away to a 17-1 first quarter lead.  Using the fast break as their main weapon, the Pirates upped the margin  to 25-4 for their largest lead of the game before Baltic came back to make it 30-10 at halftime.  Garaway shot an even 50 percent in the half, connecting on 13 of 26 attempts.  Down but not out, the Eagles who became the sentimental favorites when they upset Strasburg, managed to keep pace with Garaway through the third period.  It was 45-26 at the quarter's end.  Led by all-county choice Dick Gerber, the Eagles made things interesting in the final period by outscoring the league co-champions 17-7.  Eight points was as close as they could get, however.  Garaway finished with a credible 43 percent shooting night, canning 20 of 43 attempts.  Baltic finished with 24 percent, making 17 of 70.  Big Dan Bleininger paced the Pirates with 18 points and also picked the boards clean of rebounds.  Roy Yoder had 13.  Gerber paced Baltic with 15 markers, all coming in thesecond half as he directed the Eagle attack.  Geof Stevanus, Garaway forward, was injured in the  first quarter when he and Willis Mullet of Baltic collided going after a loose ball.  He was taken to the hospital to have stiches taken above his eye, but returned to play part of the last quarter.  It was the third win of the year for Garaway over the Eagles.

GARAWAY PIRATES - 52

Wayne Burkey 1-5-7
Geof Stevanus 1-0-2
Dan Bleininger 7-4-18
Don Deetz 4-0-8
Roy Yoder 5-3-13
John Spear 1-0-2
T. Stevanus 1-0-2

BALTIC - 43

Dale Lautenschleger 0-2-2
Larry Kaser 2-2-6
Jack Miller 4-1-9
Willis Mullet 3-1-7
Dick Gerber 6-3-15
Stein 2-0-4


Saturday, February 24, 1962
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio