Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 57, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 March 1919 — TEAMS RUN TRUE TO FORM [ARTICLE]

TEAMS RUN TRUE TO FORM

FAVORITES COP HANDILY IN OPENING DAY’S PLAY —RENSSELAER FLAILED. Some Tourney Score*. Whiting, 24; Crown Point, 21. Kentland, 14; Fair Oaks, 8. Medaryville, 18; Froefoel (Gary) 12. Valparaiso; 28;' Morocco, 4. East Chicago, 32; Hammond 11. Emerson, 44; Rensselaer, 15. Anderson, 69; Marketville, 1. Lebanon, 54; Kirkland, 3. Advance, 34;. Colfax, 4. Crawfordsville, 24; Wingate, 6. Darlington, 30; Attica, 6. Bloomington, 36; Mitchell, 14. West Lafayette, 52; Stockwell, 3. Jefferson, 24; West Point, 16. Brookston, 24; Monon, 16. ** * * Without a single exception twen-ty-two sectional favorites in the state basketball tournament came through the opening day’s play running tpSBT to form in every way and smashing their opponents into insensibility with but little effort. Practically no upsets marked the opening day’s scrambles and unless dark horse fives come to the front today the critics will be well acquainted with the personnel of the fives that journey to Lafayette next week to fight for the state emblem. The few teams that have been selected by the dopesters as the most likely winners of the state tournament practically all flailed their opponents unmercifully, Jefferson being the only team of this calibre that'had a very close game, and they won with but little effort. ■One of the unfortunate features about the tournament is the fact that three of the best teams in the state are all in one district, consequently two of them will not (be permitted to attend the state tournament, while weak teams in weak districts will cop the honors and get to attend the state tournament. So it is seen that geography also enters in the reckoning. Take the Bluffto,n, Rochester, Log&nSport and Huntington districts for instance, and there are others. There is not a team of championship calibre in any of these districts, but some team has to win, even though it is weak. * Some of the tourney favorites crushed their opponents with overwhelming scores. For instance, Anderson defeated Marketville 69 to 1, the highest score of the day. Lebanon smothered Kirkland 64 to 3, while Thorntown was flailing the daylights out of Burlington, 48 to 4, and Advance was bumping Colfax out of the chase 34 to 4. Crawfordsville had little trouble with West Point, although their score was not large. After having walloped Franeesville in the opener, the Rensselaer five was unmercifully flailed in the evening performance against the Steel City crew, 44 to 15. The form reversal of the locals was due latrgely to nervousness and they failed to display the brillian teamwork and passing of the morning. The one-sided score was a dreadful blow to the supporters of the local five as well as to the players themselves. Gary carries a wicked punch, there is no denying that, but it was not expected that they would be able to trounce the Red and Black in .so convincing a manner. The Garyites, tall and rangy, are without doubt one of the speediest fives that ever graced a floor in the Hoosier state. Their dash, pep, ceaseless energy and speed dazzles their opponents, and as the tourney grows older it becomes more appar- f ent that there is hardly any liklihood of any team stopping this steam-roller aggregation. The semi-finals of the tourneys are seing run off this afternoon and the two surviving teams in all the districts will meet this evening to determine the sectional championships.