Muskegon Heights High School - Oaks Yearbook (Muskegon Heights, MI)

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Basket Ball Season's Scores Tigers Opponents Big Rapids ..,,.., Traverse City Benton Harbor ,, Grand Haven .,,, Kalamazoo ,,.. Muskegon .. Holland . Benton Harbor ,. Grand Haven ..,, Kalamazoo ...,,,.. Muskegon ..,,..,.,. Holland ...,,.,,,,,,,, Regionals Davis Technical Lansing Central Saginaw ,.,,, , Back Row: Valuck, Brothers Hendrtcks Hurst Habetler Thornberry Gomezy Swiatek Coach Iohnson Front Row: Regeczi, Hilliard Smith Mmarovif: fCaptl Boyd Wiesenhofer A Schapka -1:f'S,.

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VARSITY The Tigers ended the season in second place after a nip and tuck battle with other South- west Conference teams in the annual season's race. But it wasn't until the last game of the season, against Holland, that Muskegon Heights lost their hold on first place. The Tigers won eight and lost seven: losing one game by a one-point margin and winzing four for the same small but im- portant edge. Kalamazoo was the only team to beat the Tigers twice during the 1940-41 season. In the season's opener, the varsity walloped Big Rapids, 33 to l8. Then they traveled to Traverse City, and lost, 24 to l9, to a former Class B state champ team. The Tigers beat Benton Harbor 28 to 25 in a thrilling game on the Central Iunior High school floor, but lost to the down- state squad, 25 to 24, at Benton Harbor. The Harbor Tigers went on later to win the Michigan State Class A Championship, by a victory over Saginaw in the finals at Eazt Lansing. The Tigers are proud of their two victories over Grand Haven, always tough to beat on the basketball court: and of their victory over Muskegon's Big Reds during the first semester, 29 to 23. Muskegon won from Muskegon Heights in the return game. In that second meeting, Valuck and Bob Smith, stars on the Tiger squad, were missing from the lineup. Valuck was highly honored upon his graduation at mid-year. The entire school is confident greater things for Sam lie just over the horizon. They went into the Regional Tournament last winter labeled the underdogs. Perhaps they were, statistically speaking. But when it came down to actual playing ability, the percentages didn't mean a thing. At least, they didn't mean much to lohnny Minarovic and Bob Smith. Iohn's brilliant ball hand- ling all year was something to make any coach green with envy. Iohn's clear, cool and alert thinking helped all of the bovs to keep in good spirits when the going was tough. Speaking of Bob Smith, what enemy basket didn't shrink in distance from the floor the moment Bob stepped under- neath? Bob's handy work under the net helped to win many a game which otherwise might easily have been a victory for the opposing team. To mention all of the boys individually would be an injustice or undue flattery: suffice it to say that the whole team went to town as Q good team should, lt was what they call in dope circles, a highly successful season. Hat's off to the boys who beat the State Champs on our own floor. Congratulations to Coach Iohnson and his Cflgey' CCIQSISI the boys WhO WOuldn't Say Clie- . ml

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eserve Basket Ball t r 1 Back Row: L. Kwiecien, Thomasma, Haines, Bilka, C oach Kruizenga, Kohlbeck, Fethke, Schapka, Opalek. Front Row: Happeny, Hilliard, Levendosky. Parmalee CCapt.l. Campsmith, Brash, Thomas, Young. Coach H. A. Kruizenga should be complimented on the good brand of ball the Little Tigers played this last basketball season. The boys went through the season winning nine and losing three, seven of which victories were in the Southwest Conference. Kalamazoo's tall, lanky team was the only opponent to defeat the Tigers twice this year. Mus- kegon's Southwest Conference champs was the other team which defeated the Tigers, although it even took them two tries to do it, because the Little Tigers took their measure earlier in the season. Incidentally, our Reserves proved to be the only team able to beat Muskegon during 1940-41. Mr. Kruizenga wishes to extend to all of the boys his sincerest thanks for their fine spirit and cooperation.