Ben Avon High School - Novaneb Yearbook (Pittsburgh, PA)

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BASKETBALL BEN AVON 16-BELLEVUE 31 The Blue and Gold of Bellevue copped a 13-16 decision from Ben Avon on the latter's floor. By dint of some high-class shooting Bellevue pulled out in the lead during the second quarter and maintained a decisive 20-6 margin during the pause between halves. Coming back with an abundance of pep and light, the Aultman-coached cagers displayed a greatly improved brand of ball through- out the second half. Bellevue scored only one more point than our team in the two remaining periods, but their Hrst halt lead. was too large for us to overtake. BEN AVON 23-SEXVICKLEY 35 Putting on one of its best performances of the season at Sewickley, the Maroon and Gray basketeers were defeated by a score of 35-23. The spectators were given some real exciting moments in the lirst half when the lead was snatched interchangeably by both teams. Both teams fought stubbornly, refus- ing to be outdone when one or the other went ahead by a one or two point margin. Between halves the score board read 13-lO in favor of Sewickley, but Ben Avon did not hesitate to tie it at 14-14 immediately after the start of the third quarter. The remainder of the struggle turned out to be a give-and-take affair with much rough play being displayed by both sides. Sewickley did not get a decisive lead until the last minute of play, when they went on a scoring spree, which was enough to put the game down as a win for them. BEN AVON 16-FACULTY 19 Striving to avenge the previous defeat handed them by their teachers, the varsity dropped another one by a 16-19 count. The faculty aggregation turned out to be a one-man te-am with Coach Aultman rolling up seventeen of the nine- teen points. The baskets were few and far between, while most of those that were shot were hook shots from awkward positions. Mr. Johns, the commer- cial teacher, created a sensation by his rough play. 3 BEN AVON Z6-AVALON 28 This never-to-be forgottenbattle with our oldest rivals proved to everyone that the Ben Avon High tossers really can play good basketball. Paced by the dimunitive Sammy Luttrell, the local boys completely outplayed their opponents during the first two periods. VVith our zone defense clicking perfectly, we had gained a menacing 18-ll advantage at the half. It proved too good to be true, however, for Avalon quickly tied up the score in the third quarter. Then it was any marfs ball game up to the last second with the score close all of the time. BEN AVON 14-LEETSDALE 6 Smarting from the ZS-26 edging given them by Avalon, Ben Avon came back to give Leetsdale a sound 14-6 lacing. The defenses of both teams were very effective, resulting in one of the lowest-scoring games in years. It was 42

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llliN AVON 13-OLIVER 26 ln a hotly contested pre-season battle, the Maroon and Cray took a Z6-19 setback at the hands of Oliver High School, on the latter's Hoor. Neither team was able to gain a decisive lead the tirst half, because of the close defensive play by both teams. Oliver had a 13-10 advantage at half time. ln the third quarter Oliver suddenly started a barrage of long shots, which threw our boys off bal- ance. tJliver's lead was never threatened again, as this surprise proved to be the turning point of the contest, llliN AVON 13-AVALON 30 The .Xultmanites opened the ollicial league season, meeting their neighboring rivals, Avalon, on the home tloor. Avalon displayed a quick-shooting team, which battled our boys with hook shots from unexpected angles. .Xt the Start of the second half Avalon had pulled out in the lead by a 17-ll score. The at-cond half was all Avalon. The few times that the llen Avon boys did get the ball they were unable to penetrate the highly effective .Xvalon defense. BEN AVON 15YLl2liTSDAl.li 30 llen Avon traveled down to Leetsdale and came back on the Short end of a 30-15 score. Stellar playing on the part of Leetsdale team resulted in a Z0 to 5 score in their favor at half time.. lien Avon, rising to the occasion during the second half, gave Leetsdale a battle for the remainder of the contest. However, l.eetsdale's decisive lead in the first half was too much to overcome, and the local cagers returned still looking for their lirst win. lllCN AVON 19mNliYlLLli 18 .Xnxious to annex their tirst league victory, the Ben Avon cagers entertained Neville in a genuine thriller. Unable to take many shots, both teams contributed to slowing the game down by their air'-tight defensive play during the first half. The scarcity of lield goals was evidenced by the 8 to 4 favor of Neville score at the intermission. Shooting more freely during the second half, both teams added points to their scores with increasing rapidity. The crowd was on its feet as lien Avon went into the lead with only seconds remaining to play. Neville just missed three very close shots after we had gone into the lead by one point, almost causing heart failure to the excited lien Avon rooters. lll-IN AVON 9-EDGIQVVOOD 21 lidgewood gave us a 21-9 setback in a slow and unexciting encounter on their lloor. Our boys were unable to make a single point the tirst half, Edgewood having gained a decisive 8-0 advantage. The home team collected nine points during the last two periods, but they were unable to threaten the fast-mov'nff 1 as lidgewood outht. 41

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very rarely that Leetsdale penetrated our zone defense, but when they did, they were too hurried on their shots to do any damage. The last half was begun with a 5-5 tie, but the fast-moving Ben Avonites soon made it 10-5. One solitary foul was all Leetsdale could muster during the entire last two periods. Our lead was never threatened after the third quarter. BBN AVON 29-NEVILLE 38 Ben Avon journeyed to Neville Island High School for their second en- gagement with the lslanders . Neville's attempt at a zone defense was not very successful, but they were able to hold a 12-10 advantage at the intermission. The second half was a series of sneaker passes, sucker shots, and erratic cross-court tosses by both teams. Neville out-did us in this freakish passing and shooting, but the boys had some consolation in that they tallied more points than in any other single game. BEN AVON 10-EDGEXVOOD 25 Ben Avon was given a discouraging setback by the highly-touted Edgewood I-ligh cagers. Edgewood's star forward, Michaels, was practically a one-man team, collecting twelve of the twenty-live points. Using a one-'handed hook shot that puzzled our boys, he played a superior game of basketball in every way. Not being able to penetrate lZdgewood's zone defense, Ben Avon was held in check by 9 to l at the half. Hope was revived in the third period when we quickly scored seven points to make the score-board read 9-8. However, the indomitable llflichaels threw two long loopers through the rim, which signed the death warrant for us. The remainder of the game was a series of long, L'll1Cl'l'll'Ig shots by the lidgewood squad against which our players could do little. BEN AVON 22-BELLEVUE 40 The section leaders entertained Coach Aultman and his basketball players by inflicting a stinging defeat on them. Ben Avon played excellent ball during the lirst period, and on several occasions we surprised Bellevue with our good shooting. Attempting to overcome an 18-6 delicit piled up against them during the first and second quarters, Ben Avon fought gamely, only to fall hopelessly behind. The veteran Dulce Black, playing the excellent type of ball of which he is so capable, was high-scorer for Ben Avon with nine points to his credit. BEN AVON 22fSEvV.lCKLlEY 17 1 lien Avon said goodbye to basketball until another season by inflicting a decisive defeat on the boys from down the valley. vVith a never-say-die spirit that has been characteristic of their play all season in spite of the many losses, the Maroon and Gray came from behind in the last quarter to clinch a victory. As we started the second half, we were under a 15-8 disadvantage, but the in- spired game that the boys displayed soon evened up the score. In the last few minutes the contest turned out to be a real thriller, as most of the Ben Avon rooters were screaming so loudly that the whistle couldn't be heard. Duke Blaclc's shot from the middle of the lloor was in the air as the tinal whistle blew. 43