Silver Foul Shot in Final Six Seconds Propels Crimson to Victory Over Yale

Co-captain Lou Silver scored three points in the final six seconds of overtime to lead the Crimson hoopsters to their sixth Ivy League triumph of the season Saturday night in New Haven, an 89-86 verdict over a helpless Yale squad.

The Elis, who have won just three times this winter, had assumed a 16-point lead in the first half. Behind the shooting of Bill Carey and Mike Griffin, however, the Crimson fought back, and by halftime the lead stood in Harvard's favor, 43-42.

The teams traded baskets throughout the second half, with a Silver Jumper with 36 seconds remaining in regulation play creating an 80-80 deadlock. Each side had one final chance to win the game before the final buzzer sounded, but Brian Banks blocked Yale's attempt, and an Arnie Needleman off-balance jumper with two seconds left fell short.

The overtime period continued on as even keel for the first three minutes. Steve Switchenko, who had kept the Elis in the game by scoring 10 of their last 14 points in regulation, hit for two of their first three baskets in overtime. His second basket have the Bulldogs the lead at 36-34, and when Harvard failed to tie the contest on its next trip down the court. Yale had the upper hand with a two-point advantage, occasion of the ball and little more than two minutes remaining.

Then came the Elis' tragic mistake. Yale attempted to play possession basketball, which is the natural course of action is pursue in that situation. Unfortunately, however, one of the Bulldogs was answers of this strategy, or had other ideas.

Jim McGuire, who up to this point in the game had made just one of six shots, attempted to up the Yale margin to four, Had his shot been good, McGuire would have been accorded a hero's oration. His shot, missed, though, and the Crimson controlled the rebound.

Griffin Jumper

Mike Griffin then swished a pressure jump shot, which deadlocked the score. Yale still and a chance to take the lead, but this time. Banks again played "stuff the Bulldog," as he blocked another Eli scoring attempt.

Now Harvard was in the driver's seat and patiently worked the ball around. It came to Banks in the pivot, but the big center was double-teamed, which meant that someone else was open. That someone was Silver, who received the alert pass from Banks and was immediately fouled.

There were six seconds left when Silver dipped, shot and missed his first foul shot. Harvard's leading scorer, however, had been fouled in the act of shooting. His second charity toss was good, and after stealing the ensuing Yale pass in, he was again fouled, Again he missed the first shot, but this time, no second shot was forthcoming.

Instead, Silver rebounded his own miss, banked a jumper, and watched the clock expire with Harvard the victor, 89-86.

The Crimson was extremely fortunate in that its opponent was Yale, for not many other teams would squander 16-point leads (29-13 after nearly 13 minutes), or fail to ice a game with as many chances as the Bulldogs had Saturday night.

Harvard, which had just come off a big win against Brown the previous night, was apparently over-confident entering the contest. The Crimson watched Yale gradually build the lead in the first half, and not until it reached 16 did the cagers decide to play basketball.

They outscored the Elis 30-13 in the final 7 1/2 minutes of the opening half, and only pathetic foul shooting prevented Harvard from opening a wider lead. The Crimson shot just 61 per cent from the line for the game-pitiful by any standards.

Bill Carey and Mike Griffin, who led Harvard's comeback, emerged as the Crimson's scoring leaders, Carey, who has become the Crimson's most prolific offensive threat of late, tallied 21 points, while Griffin, the man who makes the offense roll, added 19.

Brian Banks played another strong game, scoring 13 points when he wasn't intimidating any Bulldogs down at the other end of the court, while Silver gave the Crimson four men in double figures, hitting for ten points. The game's leading point-getter was Yale's Gary Franks with 29.

Their weekend sweep gives the cagers a 9-13 overall record, and the momentum which should produce victories over Dartmouth, Columbia and Cornell in their final games of the season.