North Park University - Cupola Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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CONFERENCE PACEMAKERS Jerry Johnson hill Peterson Ed Dwyer Wig Person Butcli Lofgren (Capt.) Dixon Jones C Iiik k Anderson Rulx-n Hanson

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LOOKING IT OVEK Hail to the conquering heroes! Hail to the champions of the Big Six Junior College Conference! Yes, Coach Bibbs Anderson came up with a real one for the ' 52 - ' 53 basketball cam- paign and presented North Park with their first undisputed basketball cham- pionship. Many things have and will be said abou t this year ' s bucket ball team, but it is agreed that this team is a team ' s team. The fellows were only after one thing — a victory. That was shown in the fact that at one time or another, every man on the starting five was high point man in at least one game. It was shown in the scoring — many times all of the starters would be grouped one point behind each other on the score sheet and usually all would garner over ten points in each game. It was shown again in the spirit, the spirit of never having a defeated attitude, even when behind. The Vik- ing team, in one game against Wright, was behind 15 points at the half and their first half of play was very ragged. During intermission, a transformation took place and a new Viking team took the floor, a team which beat Wright 73- 71 because of a driving spirit — the spirit that was predominant in all the games. Statistically speaking the team compiled a record of nine victories and one loss in conference play and sev- enteen victories against five defeats in all games played. The squad hung up two team records. The first, in number of points scored was broken three times. In 1950, 87 points were scored against Herzl. This year ' s team scored successively 88, 92, and 94 points. The other record is in average points per game. The old record of 67.2 (set in 1949) was broken as the Vikings slipped them through the cords at a 74 points per game clip. •lerson on I be rebound

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Mgr. Ralph Sager, Don Dierson. Dave Goethe, Wayne Funk, Mgr. George Magnuson The Viking men got off to a fast start as they shot by the University of Illinois Medical School 61-43, but were pulled up short by a scrappy La Grange outfit who came from behind to tie the score at the end of regular time 64-64 and then outscored the Vikings 17-12 in overtime to win 81-76. The Blue and Gold started conference play with an easy 68-55 win over Wright in which all men saw action. Another easy con- ference win trounced Thornton 81-45. In two non-conference games, the North Park men split in beating Elgin 88-75 and dropping a low scoring, high fouling game to Navy Pier 54-44. The Vikings recovered to hand high-flying Morton a 64-50 licking as Person hit 16; Peterson, 15; Dwyer, 13; and Lofgren, 12 in a team victory. Bibbs ' boys kept their conference record unblemished as they defeated previously unbeaten Wilson 67-60 and then started their Christmas vacation by trouncing Herzl 76-62. The Vikings showed the effects of the Christmas layoff as they lost to Morton 88-80 for the only conference loss of the season. The North Park men were back on the winning band wagon as they won their next three encounters — all conference wins: 73- 71 in the memorable second half rally over Wright (a game won by the subs as six of the first seven players finished on the bench because of five fouls; 79- 70 over a high-rated La Salle-Peru quintet; and a 70-61 in a second easy triumph over Thornton. In four non- conference games, the Vikings won three: 80-66 over Elgin; 78-71 in an overtime thriller against Med. School, and an avenging 74-70 triumph over Navy Pier. The lone loss was a second one from La Grange, 90-82. In the final season games, the Vik- ings clinched the Big Six title as they went on a scoring rampage in whip- ping Wilson 92-75, and Herzl 94-83. In two post-season games with Joliet, the champs of the Suburban Jun- ior College League, the teams split, each gaining a one point victory on their home court. At Von Steuben, the Vikings came from behind to eek out a