Radcliffe Cagers Rip Wheaton, 54-35

NORTON--Moving quickly from the starting buzzer, the Radcliffe basketball team pulled ahead 12-0 in the first eight minutes of play last night at Wheaton College, and stayed on top for a 54-35 victory.

The Radcliffe cagers worked their press successfully from the beginning. They forced their opponents into making long, soft passes that Captain Jeannie Guyton could intercept, and for a while the Wheaton team failed to move the ball near its own basket.

The tough Radcliffe defense forced the Wheaton team to take outside shots, and then controlled the rebounding. Effective defensive work also eliminated Wheaton's fast breaks, and stopped what could have led to easy baskets for its opponents.

The Wheaton women put up a solid defense, but the Crimson team earned its victory through good teamwork. The Radcliffe cagers passed the ball with quick, accurate passes, finding the open player time and again.

High scorer for Radcliffe was Sue Williams, who chalked up 16 points. The balanced scoring revealed the teamwork--Maude Wood and Cheryl Gelzer each added 12 points and Lissa Muscatine came off the bench to sink eight points.

During the last part of the first half, the Crimson team seemed to relax, holding onto a comfortable lead. Its aggressive rebounding disappeared and the Radcliffe players began taking forced shots. Wheaton took advantage of the cooling-off time and started to find the rim, but the half-time scoreboard still favored Radcliffe 30-19.

Radcliffe poured it on at the opening of the second half, pushing their lead quickly to 38-19.

High pressure defense held Wheaton to only two field goals in the first eight minutes. Intelligent positioning and aggressive rebounding, especially by Sue Williams and Cheryl Gelzer, gave Radcliffe control of the boards.

The aggressive Radcliffe defense led to trouble, though, when Jeannie Guyton and Cheryl Gelzer fouled out. The Radcliffe J.V. lost to Wheaton, 14-12.