PHOTO: Stone Creek's Jim Wherley and Verle Endlich (43) team to grab this rebound during play against Midvale. Others in photo are Panther Vic Turner (33) and Blue Devils Terry Leggett (left), Don Ickes (50), Dan Kohler (14) and Dean DeMattio (right).
NEW PHILADELPHIA - Sure, deliberate ball handling and clutch foul shooting, plus sound thinking from the bench were the keynotes of Stone Creek's shocking victory over Midvale (15-4). A 66-55 loser to Midvale December 13, Stone Creek (12-7) completely outfoxed Midvale. Charles Huggins, former assistant of Pete Hilliard at Midvale, knew his Panthers couldn't match shooting eyes with the Blue Devils and employed a 3-man weave on offense. The Panthers worked methodically, moving the ball from one side to the other until they could spring a man loose. This forced the Blue Devils, who like to use a fast-moving offense, to play the Panthers' game. Midvale's big guns, Dean DeMattio and Dan Kohler, couldn't find the range with any consistency. DeMattio, although ending with 17 points, went scoreless in the 2nd frame and got just 2 foul tosses in the 3rd as he was closely guarded by Dick McPherson. He entered the battle with 468 points. Kohler mustered only 8 markers. The Blue Devils started the game as expected, taking an 8-3 lead and were in front 16-10 at the initial rest. In the 2nd stanza, the complexion changed. The Panthers, employing Huggins' deliberate, driving tactics to perfection, reeled off 10 consecutive points to vault into the driver's seat 20-16 by 2:05 before Midvale cashed in from the charity stripe. McPherson started the 2nd quarter rally with a successful drive shot. John Flinner hit on a soft jumper from the top of the key and so did Jim Wherley. Flinner added another jumper and then drove for 2 points. After Midvale made a charity toss, McPherson again drove through the Blue Devil defense for a 2-pointer and Verle (Curly) Endlich dropped in a pair of foul tries. Midvale's Terry Leggett hit from the field with 35 seconds left in the half for the Blue Devils' only 2-pointer of the 2nd stanza. This work gave the spirited Panthers a 24-19 edge at intermission.
Midvale pulled even, 26-26, at 3:20 of the 3rd canto on the strength of a tight press, but Huggins quickly called time and set up a "screen" to enable his Panthers to work the ball down court. Stone Creek held to a 31-30 advantage after 3 rests. Hilliard's men went ahead 32-31 at the outset of the final frame as DeMattio hit from the foul line. Endlich matched DeMattio's 1-pointer and then DeMattio drilled through a fielder from the top of the key. Wherley fired through a "deep" side shot to tie the count 34-34 and then McPherson popped in a pair of charities and Wherley another to make the count Stone Creek 37, Midvale 34. Tom Daniels hit on a fielder, but it was matched by Endlich, who picked up a loose ball and pushed it up and in. Kohler was successful twice from the foul line which cut the deficit to 39-38. Wherley iced the verdict with 4 seconds left by swishing a pair of clutch free tosses. Hilliard called for time to set up a pattern, hoping somehow to work for a 3-point play. But, Huggins was having none of that and deployed his Panathers on the side of the court, letting DeMattio go in unmolested for a 2-pointer at the buzzer. This is Stone Creek's 1st tournament win since it beat Strasburg 76-41 in 1959. The Panthers' mark is the best for a Stone Creek quintet since that 1958-59 season. The last time Stone Creek and Midvale met intournament play was in 1957. The Panthers won then, too, but the Blue Devils came back to cop consolation honors and go to the state tournament at Columbus.
STONE CREEK PANTHERS - 41
Vic Turner 0-4-4
John Flinner 6-1-13
Tim McPherson 2-2-6
Verle Endlich 2-3-7
Jim Wherley 3-5-11
Gail Mizer 0-0-0
MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS - 40
Dean DeMattio 6-5-17
Terry Leggett 1-6-8
Ted Tolloti 0-0-0
Don Ickes 1-2-4
Dan Kohler 1-6-8
Tom McPherson 0-0-0
Hawkins 0-1-1
Tom Daniels 1-0-2
Saturday, February 15, 1964
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
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