Penn Should Win Ivy Basketball Title

With three weeks left in the Ivy League basketball season, three teams--Penn, Princeton, and Yale--are tied for first place, and the big showdown is coming this weekend at New Haven.

The Tigers play Yale on Friday and the Quakers invade on Saturday; on the last day of the season, March 4, Princeton plays at Penn. these games should decide the winner of one of the tightest Ivy races in history.

Princeton was the pre-season, favorite, and has knocked off each of the other teams already, but has lost to Harvard and Columbia. The Bengal are erratic because their fortunes kings on one man--Bill Bradley. The 6-5 All-American last year, led the League in field goals attempted, field goals made, free throws attempted, free throws made, points, scoring average, and rebounding. This season he'll probably establish Ivy records in these categories and just about any other you can think of.

But the Tigers have no one except Bradley; and if he has a bad night, or is contained to any degree by the opposition, the Tigers is dead. When Princeton played Yale earlier this season they won 74-60, but the Elis were in a slump then. Friday should be the Bulldogs' night, and Princeton--unless Bradley turns in a superhuman performance--will wind up in third place.

Yale also has its superstar--Rick Kaminsky, a 6-1 forward who is averaging 26.6 points per game (well below Bradley's 34.3). Kaminsky almost singlehandedly wrecked Harvard at New Haven a month ago, but Yale has two other "little men" to give Yale a relatively well-balanced attack. Guards Bob Trupin (6-0) and Dennis Lynch (5-10) both have devastating outside shots which can make a shambles of any defense in the League. Yale's salient lack is height; only 6-6 senior Dave Schumacher has given, the Blue any rebounding strength.

Penn is The Team. You name it, the Quakers have it. Their backcourt is absolutely dassting: Ray Caraso and Jeff Neuman are excellent shatters, and Neuman's ball handling is of almost professional caliber. Forward Stan Pawlak can pump in the 20-footers with ease; he is the fourth leading scorer and fourth best rebounder in the League. Height? Center John Hellings stands 6-3 and has pulled down 92 rebounds in Ivy play, second only to whatsisname.

Penn should beat Yale Saturday and Princeton next month, to win the champ-Yale and Princeton, both 3-4. (The Elis' fourth loss will be at the hands of Harvard.)