PROBABLE EFFECTS OF ELIMINATING THE CENTER JUMP

ball will still possess enough thrills to enthrall her followers. ‘The advocates of the elim-
ination of the center jump contend that the game will be further speeded up, that about 6 or
8 mins will be added to its actual playing time, and that, with sleepers laying back for long —
surprise shots after goals by opponents, the fast break will be enhanced. They further contend
that only a few teams ever possessed tall centers so that the game will now be more equmlized;
that scores will be higher; and that the center, who heretofore did most of the jumping, can
now reserve his strength for better tean and floor playe Fouls will be decreased, they say,
and the officials will be rid of much of that troublesome bugaboo of throwing the ball up high
enough and straight enough to allow both centers a fair jump and tap for the balle

The proponents of the retention ef the couter jump contend that the tip-off added
many additional thrills to the gamo.e Dre Jemes leiamith, the originator of the game, in
attendance at a meeting of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, asked a group
which of the following situations gave then the greater thrill: (1) then the ball was in the
air about 2 ft» above the baskets (2) when the ball went throughe

Most of then said, "When the ball went through the baskets” "You are wrong,” quoth
Dre Naienith, “Your highest pitch of expectancy or interest was when the ball was just above
the cylinder of the basket and you wondered, ‘Will it go through or not?™

“and so with the tip-off," says Dre Haiauithe “hon the ball is tossed up at center —
there is the cane intense interest ant the ame parallel question is ested, °Wiil it go to the
team controlling the tip-off or will the opponents get the tip-off from the controlling team?"

On the other hand, wider the new rules, when a field goal or free throw is scored one
knows just where the ball is goimg in se far as possession is concerned. It will go to the
opposite team. Heretofore, many have contended that wider the eliminated rule the tall
player won the game, not at the center tip-off but rather under the offensive or defensive
basket, and that the elimination of the tip-off will have no bearing on the tall player's
potencye