CONGRATULATIONS, BOB! Sports Editor Dan Kopp (right) presents Daily Reporter-sponsored trophy and best wishes to Bob Shahan, coach of tournament champion Strasburg, as Midvale's Dean DeMattio (left) and Strasburg's John Peters, co-most valuable players in the league and Stone Creek's Chuck Huggins, Coach of the Year, look on.
Facial expressions and whoops of joy from Strasburg's Tigers tell who won Saturday night's championship game of the 42nd annual, and last, Tuscarawas County Class A League tournament.
NEW PHIADELPHIA - Strasburg's "Terrific" Tigers (20-1) won a war of nerves with Stone Creek's Cinderella Panthers (13-8) Saturday night in the finals of the 42nd annual Tuscarawas County Class A Basketball League Tournament. Approximately 2,400 fans saw the battle-scarred Tigers take a decision, giving Strasburg its 16th Tournament Crown and the distinction of winning the 1st and last since county eliminations are being abandoned in favor of entering directly into Sectional action.
The Tigers proved their stature as clutch ball players by refusing to fold under the methodical attack of the Panthers. Instead, they made their own breaks by forcing the action, causing the Panthers to make mistakes now and then, something they hadn't done in whipping Midvale and Garaway en route to the finals. Whereas the Panthers appeared a bit shaky as the pressure continued to mount, the Tigers remained steady and even tougher as the game progressed---the mark of real champions. The Tigers were just too slick for the Panthers and their teamwork was near-perfect. Add plenty of dessire and fight and it gives the reason for the outcome. Chuck Huggins' Panthers, knocking off Midvale and Garaway in a bid for Stone Creek's 2nd title in history, employed the same control-type tactics against the Tigers, but Bob Shahan's crew simply had too much poise and ability. And the Panthers were a bit shakey, the built-up pressure being too much to bear.
The initial quarter was like a see-saw, the 2 teams battling back and forth with the score being tied 5 times before Strasburg took a 12-10 lead at the stop as Vic Gessner hit from the corner with 32 seconds left. Stone Creek, which had held a 4-2 margin, racked up 7 consecutive points in the 2nd stanza to vault into a 17-12 advantage. This turned out to be the Panthers final lead of the game. Rock Van Fossen popped in a 5-footer from the baseline for Strasburg's 1st points of the quarter, at 4:57, and after Vic Turner made it 18-14 for Stone Creek, tossed in another 2-pointer to cut the deficit to 18-16. Steady Don Wallick then won a fight for a loose ball and tied the count 18-18 from the corner at 4:02. Ron Lab, who proved to be a valuable sixth man in the tournament as he has all season, put Shahan's club in front to stay when he went in for a layup at 3:41 after pulling off a steal. The hustling Tiger made it 22-18 seconds later when he picked up a loose ball and tossed it through the nets. Dick McPherson popped in a free throw and then Van Fossen took a pass from Lab and put in a 2-pointer to give the scrappy Tigers a 24-19 bulge. The Panthers refused to fold; however, and Jim Wherley banged in 2 from the charity stripe to cut the count to 24-21. Then All-Ohio candidate John Peters, scoreless until now, but minus a hindering special face guard to protect his broken nose, drilled in a 2-pointer from the top of the key at 1:19 and a few seconds later pulled off his 2nd straight steal to make it 28-21. Wherley's free throw left the Tigers ahead 28-22 at intermission.
Only 10 points were scored in the 3rd frame, 7 by the Tigers who held the Panthers without a field goal until Wherley hit with 4 seconds left. That field goal, by the way, was Stone Creek's 1st since early in the 2nd stanza as the Tigers put up a tremendous defensive struggle. After 3 quarters the state-ranked (8th) Tigers had a 35-25 margin. Rick Hall tossed in a fileder and a free throw at the start of the final frame to make it 38-25 and after 4 points by John Flinner, the Bengals burned in 9 straight to ice the verdict at 47-29 and 3:55 to go. Van Fossen led Strasburg, which has won more tournament crowns than any other county team, with 17 points, getting several off fine passes from Peters who would fake a jump shot at the key and toss underneath. Peters ended with 10 tallies. Wherley led the Panthers with 11 and McPherson and Flinner both had 10. Tiger Vic Gessner, sat out much of the battle because of injured knees. The Tigers tossed in 22 of 52 action shots to 14 of 34 for the Panthers who couldn't penetrate the Tigers' alert zone defense. Rebounds favored Strasburg 25 to 18. Van Fossen led the way with 7. Hall snared 6. Wherley hauled down 5. A 65-car caravan, accompanied by sheriff's deputies, greeted the Tigers at Dover city limits after the game and went on to Cindy's Restasurant where 110 enjoyed a chicken dinner. The players were guests of the owners, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Arter.
STRASBURG TIGERS - 53
John Peters 3-4-10
Don Wallick 4-1-9
Rock Van Fossen 7-3-17
Rick Hull 2-1-5
Vic Gessner 3-0-6
Ron Lab 2-0-4
John Thomas 0-0-0
Tom Dreher 1-0-2
STONE CREEK PANTHERS - 40
Dick McPherson 3-4-10
Jim Wherley 4-3-11
Verle (Curly) Endlich 0-0-0
Vic Turner 3-2-8
John Flinner 4-2-10
Gail Mizer 0-1-1
John Bihari 0-0-0
NOTE: Champion Strasburg placed 3 players on the Tuscarawas County Sportswriters' All-Tournament Team announced Saturday night. They were John Peters, Don Wallick and Rock Van Fossen. Joining the Tiger trio were Jim Wherley of runner-up Stone Creek and Dean DeMattio of Midvale. Honorable mention went to Bruce Kohl of Gnadenhutten, Roger Knisely and Phil Caldwell of Tuscarawas, Dave Widder of Tuscarawas Valley and Verle (Curly) Endlich of Stone Creek. The 1st team choices will be presented trophies by the Daily Reporter later this week. Stone Creek's Charles Huggins was named Coach of the Year and Peters and DeMattio shared the Most Valuable Player award. Gnadenhutten walked off with the top cheerleading honor. Trophies also were presented to TuscarawasValley (Junior High League Champion and tournament runner-up) and to Midvale (Junior High Tournament winner) and to Strasburg and Midvale (Class A League co-champions).
Monday, February 24, 1964
Dan Kopp, Sports Editor
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
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