Cagers, Swimming Team, Racquetmen to Face Tests

Licking their wounds from their recent ego-deflating losses to Navy and Williams. Harvard's varsity basketball players journey (and it's a hell of a journey) to Durham, New Hampshire tonight to play what looks like a tough UNH quintet.

The backwoodsmen (or wildcats, as they're officially sobriqueted) feature a hot-shooting sophomore in the corner, Jeff Bannister. A high school All-American and 1966 national AAU pentathlon champion, Bannister is aiming for next summer's Olympics in the decathlon. But right now, he's got more important things to worry about--like beating Harvard.

Harvard coach Floyd Wilson is still trying to get his best five together. He's experimented all year, and he seems to have narrowed it down to about nine possibilities. Mickey Norlander has apparently joined captain Bob Beller, Bob Johnson, and Jeff Grate for the battle for the starting backcourt slots, and the fight for positions up front is just as tight.

The varsity swimming team, hoping to rebound from its heartbreaking defeat at the hands of Army last week, journeys to Annapolis today to take on the Navy team.

Last year Harvard rebounded from a loss to Army by defeating the middies 57-38, but this year things could be different. Navy has most of last year's team returning and Harvard Coach Bill Brooks figures they have a good chance to finish in the top three of the Eastern Seaboard League. Last year Navy finished sixth with a 3-5 record. Harvard was not much better, ending the season with a 4-4 record in fifth place.

Once again diver Bill Murphy and freestyler Bill Shrout should lead the team and once again the meet will depend on the other Harvard swimmers.

Backstroker Al Birch, whose clutch win against Army kept Crimson hopes alive late in the meet, will be looking for his second win of the year against a weak Navy backstroke lineup. His performance could once again be decisive.