Fort Lewis College - Katzima Yearbook (Durango, CO)

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Raider hoopmen presented special awards to sev- eral boosters at ceremonies during the final home game. Coach Don Whalen makes a presentation to Michael Nyikos. Squadmen Paul Lanmore, Jim Decker, Vic Knight, Bob Ervin, Mike Wesbrooks and Ron Gray enjoy verbal exchange of humor. 1 10

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Looking back. Coach Don Whalen reflected Our year was not a losing one. We lost many games by extremely close scores; the teain that gets and takes advantage of breaks usually comes out on top. We just didn ' t get the breaks needed for those close ones. Above is thr mi., irns of this year ' s squad. In Front: Mike Wesbrooks, Ron Gray. Larry Taylor, Dave Stearns and Bill Chilton. Row Two: Mike Giordano, Paul Larimore, Don Kahl and Jim Decker. Positive Attitude Pays Off Attitude, confided head basketball coach, Don Whalen, after seven years as chief court mentor at Fort Lewis, is a prime factor in an athlete. These boys, he said, referring to the ' 66 squad, have it. As the coach looked forward to 1966-67, five difficult-to-fill gaps appeared m the Raider line-up because of vacancies left open by graduating seniors. Playing their last with the Raider Five this season were guard Mike Wesbrooks, guard Otis Preuit, forward Don Kahl, center Mike Giordano and center Paul Larimore. In a season which gave up seven wins for the Raiders against 12 losses, statistics show what Coach Whalen meant about getting the breaks. In truth. Fort Lewis scored more field goals than its opponents through the 19-game series: 686 as compared to 664 by the foe. It was the distribution of points, game-by-game, which wrote the final chapter, however. Firing the apple more often. Raiders ' percentage of accuracy was .489 compared with a somewhat better record by the opponents having a .491 combined tally. At the freethrow line. Fort Lewis netted 285 to bring total scoring up to 1,657 points during the season against 1,701 for the combined opponents. Wesbrooks led Fort Lewis scoring with a 19.2 point per game record: next was Paul Larimore ' s 16.8, Dave Stearns with 14, followed by Ron Gray with 11.7, Mike Giordano with 8.5, Don Kahl with 6.7, Larry Taylor with 3.7, Jim Decker and Vic Knight with 3.4 each and all other team members with a combined 4.3.

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Guard Larry Taylor fights for a rebound, above, in the contest which Fort Lewis won against Westminster 76-70. At left, above, Dave Stearns eases a long shot toward the bucket. Whenever the court quintet re- quired assistance, particularly at home games, an elite hard corps of boosters was always on hand, and the team expressed grateful acknowl- edgement during its filial tilt in the Fort Lewis field house. Opposite, top, Mike Wesbrooks honors booster Ken Giesen on behalf of the squad; Mike Giordano extends a team thank-you to Michael Brennan, official scorer, and Paul Larrmore thanks timer Dr. F. M. Murray. At immediate left, Don Kahl, presents an award to booster Norman Bender. At far left, opposite. Don Schutz and Vic Knight participate from the bench while, middle, Paul Larimore fends with Westminster. It was Larimore who led Fort Lewis In freethrow scoring; he clicked with 73 for the season, along with 123 field goals. Wesbooks led with 168 field goals and 28 freethrows; Ron Gray was also a top scorer with 97 buckets and 29 award shots. Mike Giordano dropped in 61 field goals and 39 free tosses; Dave Stearns hit 106 and 40 for a total of 252 points; Don Kahl hit 48 and 25; Jim Decker accounted for 8 and 8; Vic Knight got 20 and 8.