Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 February 1919 — MANY GOOD 5’S TO COMPETE [ARTICLE]

MANY GOOD 5’S TO COMPETE

COMPARATIVE SCORE ROUTE Sfe CHOSING STATE CHAMPION IS UNSATISFACTORY. (Special to The Republican.) Lafayette, Feb. 21.- —Was ever the basketball question in Indiana more perplexing? 1 When one attempts to figure the dope via the comparative score route his efforts end in a muddle of figures and lead directly in a circle. About the onlyway tobe sure df seeing the ; winning team in action is to attend the state high school tournament, which will be held at Purdue university, Lafayette, March 13, 14 and 15. Because there are so many good teams over the state much will depend on the luck of drawing opponents when ’the tourney schedule is made out. »' The big show at Purdue will undoubtedly be the best every held, for there will be more good teams, closer competition and better accommodations for players and fans than ever before, and all Lafayette is exerting itself to make comfortable the enormous crowd of visitors expected to attend the annual classic. The sectional tournaments will be held in twenty cities March 7 and 8, and in practically every district these are one or more teams favored, but all will have to play real basketball if they are to be numbered among the score of quintets to battle for the state title in the final tourney at Purdue.

Because of some of the more noticeable upsets inthe dope many fans are claiming that favorites are tossing games to other teams to as to draw attention to other fives. This, the fans claim, is being done because teams usually try harder to beat the favorites and therefore the playing life of the favored five is one of bumps and knocks. In the Frankfort district Jt will be a hot race between Lebanon, the state champs, Thorntown and Advance. Advance has beaten both teams. If there is a dark horse club this year it will probably hail from the northern section of the state, although the southern district always puts at least one speedy five in the field. Three counties Montgomery, Boone and Tippecanoe—have always had the honor of capturing the state tournament since it was first held in 1911 and many teams believe the 1919 title winners will hail from one of this trio of counties.