United States Naval Academy - Lucky Bag Yearbook (Annapolis, MD)

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Bob Searle moves in unopposed for a neat lay-up shot in the game with Viilanova, Navy ' s worst defeat of the season. Bob Claitor stretches out with a foul shot in the same game. Columbia beat Navy with foul shots. tative in the N.C.A.A. tournament. Main prospects as the candidates began workouts in November were Capt. Jack Robbins, Bob Searle, John Barrow, Chuck Sheehan. Speedy Harry Woods worked into the first five as the result of his showing against a tough New York University team, which scrimmaged here late in November. With a disadvantage in height, the starters concentrated on conditioning, a fiist-break offense, and alert defensive tactics. Two pre-Christmas games were not a true test of the Navy group; the mettle of the varsity was first tested following a long vacation lay-off. The recess hurt the squad ' s preparations as it dropped the first January match, edged out a win, and then lost two games away. Brightest spot in that month was left-handed Searle ' s rapid rise in the scoring totals. The California first classman began to hit consistently on one-hand specialties. Coach Carnevale, thought of changing to a zone defense in an attempt to stop the strong offenses of the Eastern power- houses on the schedule, but chose to wait. Here was a turning point in the Navy fortunes as both offense and standard man-to- man play began to click. Seeking a method for capturing more rebounds off the boards, lanky Bob Claitor replaced Barrow at the center position with Lee Rensberger was one of the stars of the close West Virginia game, was close behind Searle and Robbins at forward. Stanley Olson practices a left-handed lay-up shot. Olson saw service as a guard. Dicl( Clinlte figured in the shuffle toward the end of the season to gain height. Paul Quinn was a substitute pivot man and guord. 25

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John Barrow acted as pivot man, did a lot of scoring. Unidentified Navy player eases in a shot in the Johns Hopkins game, John Barrow in the background. Bob Claitor was tallest man on the squad, spelled Barrow at center. George Eliopolus leads a Duke man in a pirouette. Harry Woods picks up two points in the gome with Muhlenberg. Harry Woods worked into the starting line-up at guard, but was eased out in a shift to give height to the team. 24 Captain Jack Robbins scores two from the right side in the game with Hopkins. George Eliopolus was moved to center, helped over- come the large West Virginia lead. Robbins tries again, this time from the left side, in the Hopkins gome.

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Ronnie Burton tried hard for three years to malce the starting line-up. John Stinson tries a tip-in in practice, was a substitute guard on the squad. Ronald Andresen was a good ball stealer, was also a substitute guard. Milton Paul was second string guard until an ankle injury benched him early in the season. One of the squad ' s tall men. Barrow remaining in the line-up to add to the overall height of the quintet. The old walls of Dahlgren Hall really rang from the cheers that accompanied the resulting February suc- cesses. Determination to win in spite of the fact that com- parative scores favored the opposition more than once was a key factor. Not to be overlooked was the role of early season bench-warmers, George Eliopolus and Lee Rensberger, whose fight added to the varsity ' s chances while the starters rested. Greatest accomplishment in the eyes of Coach Carnevale was the vastle improved defensive play of the Navy five ... so improved that West Virginia, perennial standout in the East, was held to less than 40 points for the first time in five years. The ups and downs continued for the cage team with four- point victories over Penn State and Gettysburg sandwiched between defeats at the hands of Muhlenberg and Penn. Colum- bia, Ivy league champions, brought a highly touted group to the Academy which was completely played off its feet by a hustling Navy team. Yet the Lions edged out a close victory in the last minutes. Unsullied by the numerous setbacks the Blue and Gold went to West Point and shellacked the Grey- legs, 49-36. Effective floor play coupled with Robbins ' season high of 21 points left Army lagging after the first ten minutes. Lee Rensberger drops in a left-handed lay-up shot in the Villa- nova game, with John Stinson covering the possible rebound on the other side. The center jump at the start of the second half in the game with Princeton. 26