OWLS' NATIONAL TOURNEY VICTORY

BOO! TO WIDE OPEN TYPE OF PLAY
By Courtesy of -
Michael J. Thomas,
The Providence POURRA:

Temple's -vietory in the national intercollegiate basketball
tournament was, in a way, a victory for coach Frank Keaney of
Rhode [sland state, fer the Owls, who oapioy the fast break and
wide open tactics, play the same type of game as do the Rams,

EVer since the promulgation of the new rules, eliminating
the centre tap there has been debate as to ‘whether the extreme
fast break, built on long range passing, was more ef fective than
the more deliberate Rbhe Vie evolved fromm short. passing.

The Qwls scored &@-convincing victory for the "open play
advocates" through their.victory in the national torunament,
Competing against nation's supposedly ablest college guintets,
tuey pugpt through. on ti0n8 ae surprising’ ease, .

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A trend sSwaras the moré open game may be effected as a res.”
of Temple's victory in the New york tournament - a victory tatamoin*
to the national intercollegiate championship. Some veteran basket-
ball critics have termed coaches still using the deliberate style
of play as "being behind times", a stand given added significance
by the records of teams employing the wide open game, such as Temple
and R.I.State.

there Was no "questioning the effectiveness of the deliberate,
slow passing game uncer the old rules, but the new code, giving the
team scored upon immediate possession of the ball under ‘its own
basket, has eliminated the advantageous features of this style of
attack, 2 i ,

speed is the suanntdad factor in the game under the new rules-
the ability to get the jump on the other fellow. The team that con-
stantly uses the short pass and wnich advances the ball in a de-
Liberate, methodical manner loses the jump it nad when it took
5ossession and enables the oposition to get its defenee set. On the
other hand, the team that resorts to‘the long pass when the oppor-
tuni ty presents itself and which Es ‘constantly advancing | at top
cd ae retains its, advan tage: = an’ advantuge that oft times give its

ayers the chance to get 80h Bofoky., shooting.

The one concession vavoch tea of the deliberate style of play
made from the start is that the open attack leads to a more colorful
game that would.further popularize the sport with the general public,
but it would now appear they might make a few concessions regarding
the technical advantages ofthe "open Game.