Strong Defense Is Crucial For Cagers Against Chiefs

Harvard basketball captain Dale Dover, who usually draws the most difficult defensive assignment, will have his hands full again tonight when Springfield ventures to the IAB for an 8 p. m. contest.

Senior Steve Waterman, two-time All-New England guard, has captained the Chiefs to two wins without a loss this season, and leads the team in scoring and assists. "There's no question about it," Springfield coach Ed Bilik said last week. "Waterman has to be the key to our team."

The Crimson will need a top performance from Dover to stifle the main Chief's attack and to rebound from Tuesday night's unnecessary loss to Boston College. Poor defense was a major factor in that loss, and a continued poor performance by the Crimson in that area could hurt it in tonight's contest and will be disastrous in its upcoming road games.

Manhandling

Regardless of how Harvard plays defense, it should manhandle Springfield on the boards. The Chiefs have only two big men, and with effective screening on the defensive boards and aggressive play on the offensive boards, the Crimson could offset Springfield's back-court play by Waterman and 6' junior Dana Anderson.

Offensively this season, Harvard has played in streaks. If the team runs and works for the good shot, it has the talent to score. But too often its offense has turned into one-on-one individual performances that result in little team cohesion, poor shot selection, and weak offensive rebounding. If Springfield plays a zone, which it probably will, these factors will be more important.

"We plan to work more on running the ball and working our offensive patterns." Harvard head coach Bob Harrison said yesterday. "And we've got to work more inside, driving and drawing more fouls," he added.