("Bake Avey the Backboards," is the Question Stenley Preak asks in
an article on bas’zetdall. in this week's Saturcey fyenine Test, Here's

 

 

what Dave Mae\illan, coach of the Gonher baszetball tean, says on the
ebject,) - =r J's By ELWOOD LAUDER i eee

Wake aney the hactboards,--sure, I'!Mall in favor of it." Dave
Maclillen was emnhatic in Wie opinion that the backboard had outlived its.
asefulpess in Grecetvare: ee biter edt tot tr’ fiche ae.

And so, the University of Hinnesote. cosch vent on record last nicht
as to 2 question which hrs heen mizgzline the care exnerts Sor years,

° WTalce avay the drekboatd and won'll teke what Mr, Stexley Franc calls
ithe riraffe! out of the rane," said Dave. WTIve plveys contende? thet the
emnhasis in besketbell has been too much on the tll man and not enouch -
on the fast and snart man," 0°. nit. eved Mrs res. set oa

Paul Mooney, Colunbie university. conch, recently.sounted the first -
gun in this atteck on basketball as: it is nlaved today, "Take aay, the:
bactbonras!" Mooney is quoted in the Post, "Make the nlevers shoot at
open baskets 3 the old professionals aid, and you'll see science and still
revlacins sheer lick and heisht as the’ most innortent factors in the gare."

-No pan in midwestern basketball circles is better qualified to
necent or deny lfooney's statement then Mecllillan of Minnesota, Asa
member of. the old Hew York Celtics, Dave played the rame when no back-
board. vas used, t-dk Bhd i

Dave does not hesitte to. beck Mooney on ‘everything he says, "The
folly of the backboard is obvious," anys Mac, “it gives a teller team
an unfair advente7e over the shorter tean br lending itself to the tin-in,
nivot and rebound vlays." | Sal eae Be Ce

"A sall team doesn't alvays hove to vlay snart besketoell %. win,”

Nactillan points out, "It can send its tallest men dovm vader the basxet,
q.it for a long set shot to cerom off the bacitboard, end then tio the
ball in for an epsy score--that doesn't tele any erent skill."

"Rie men are usually dunsy," the Gorher coach contends. "The smaller
man is usually speedier, more scientific and more eraceful--he's a more
interesting vlayer to watch in action, Of course, I don't mean to dis-
crininate against tall vlayers; I'll use a biz man over c. small men
every time if he cnn play a anarter, better sane than a smell fellov--but
that's the excention rather than the rule."- ee Sie tes

Sone. critics meintsin that a renoval of the baclboard would tee the
scoring punch out of the fane, Mactillan denies this by snvine, "Tis
chanse would cut the scorins sone. tut not very mech, I.rnow that fron
my own experiences® OS® BO Ee as . : Sohn le ae

"is mach is sure," MacMillan coneluces,"a.gzood shot in hasiethell
is ood whether there's a backboard or not, and I believe that by doing
away with the backboard sre could do avay with luck ond. cive the vane

back to still." ar
; cs 0 8 ee ee Fe

 

WHER™ COACHES HALG ON
Laramie, Wro,--(A.F. )<-The obly nevconer to hasketool lL coachine
rans in the Vountain Bie Seven conference this serson is Everett Shelton,
o transvlented Ollahonan, who coached the Denver Safevays to the national
—4.A,U. title in 19373. The dean is Dick Romney, startine his 22nd serson
at Utah State, 7 STO neg Yaoi 5