Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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By Jim Haney Sports Columns Sports Editor It's ACC Tournament time in Charlotte. For the last 15 years the eight basketball teams from the ACC have clawed and scratched and fought their way through the competition until there was only one of them left standing-the ACC champion. There's something about that three-day stretch that turns normal, run-of-the-mill basketball teams into tempo rary powerhouses, capable of beating just about anybody. Ever since the conference was born back in 1953 the Big Four from North Carolina-UNC, N. C. State, Duke and Wake Forest-have ruled the tournament. They've each had their glory years. Some of that bas ketball heritage seems to ride with each of those teams as they go into their yearly tournament battles. It's been lean years for the N. C. State Wolfpack of late they've had to play spoiler. It wasn't always that way. Not when Everett Case came down from Indiana to take over the State helm in the early fifties. Case had his last moment of glory in 1959 when his 'Pack dumped UNC, 80-56, in the finals, but, unfortunately for the man largely responsible for making ACC basketball what it is today, Case's Wolfpack was on probation and the Tar Heels represented the ACC in the regionals. There's been a lot of Duke blue seen in the finals in recent years. In 1963, '64 and '66 the Blue Devils beat Wake twice and State once in the three final rounds. Duke escaped the regionals unbeaten all three years and in 1964 they finished second in the nation, losing to UCLA the final night. In 1965 the Dukes were supposed to win it again. But one of those transformed powerhouses-this time State-chopped them down, 91-85, as a virtual un known named Larry Worsley tossed in 30 points. Duke coach Vic Bubas missed a chance to become the only coach to win the ACC title three years in a row in '65. Ironically enough, it was State, the memory of Bubas' old teacher Case riding with them, who stopped the Blue Devils. Wake's years came during the Len Chappell era in 1961 and '62. Horace 'Bones' McKinney was the coach and the Demon Deacons beat Duke and upstart Clemson in the tournament finals. The University of North Carolina Tar Heels are the only ACC team to ever win it all. In 1957, the Tar Heels, coached by non other than Frank McGuire, escaped Wake's snare trap, 61-59, on a three-point play by All-America Lennie Rosenbluth in the last 40 seconds, and then the next night in the final round, the crew from Chapel Hill blasted the Gamecocks, 95-75. They made it to the NCAA finals, but it took a triple overtime win against Michigan State to get them there. Wilt Chamberlain and Kansas still stood in their way. Another triple overtime later, center Joe Quigg had dropped in the game-winning foul shots and UNC was on top of the college basketball world. The Tar Heels have been to the finals twice in the past two years. They finished third in 1967 and second in 1968. USC doesn't have much tournament heritage. The Game cocks have never won a title. They finished second only once-in 1957. Duke has the Art Heyman-Jeff Mullins years to remem ber. Wake has the Chappell years. State has the Case years. UNC has the Rosenbluth and the Bob Lewis-Larry Miller years. For USC these may be the John Roche-Tom Owens years. USC's basketball heritage is being built right now. That heritage could be off to a flying start this year. But the ghosts will be in Charlotte this weekend. The ghosts of the Rosenbluths, and the Chappells and the Hey mans and the Cases. You won't see them and the players won't think about them. But_they'll be there. Near Br! ?Wear jr! Enok ti BLACK & WHITE; also BROWN REGULAR COLLAR AND MOCK TURTLE BY PURITAN ACC To D( Time Out: ...While !a marks ASS,alsoBLAC 1321 Min St Scramble 1. kcide Confer Staff Phot. by Warrem Hudmem c'IGuire Makes H is Point .. . Staff Pboto by Chip calloway The Cheerleaders Cheer... -SafPoobVo il ShStafftdhea. by&TrhaMlii Brings You A SPAGHETTI DINNER SPECIAL EVERY MONDAY 97c INCLUDES SPAGHETTI W/MEAT SAUCE, SALAD, ITAlIAN 8READ, TEA OR COFFEE HOME OF "THE PIZZA YOU WILL COME BACK FOR" TAKE-OUT NO EXTRA CHARGE 256-9404 215 PkenaCas ....-On. The. Hlli n Cha ence BY JIM HANEY Sports Editor The eight-team scramble for the ACC championship and the right to represent the conference in the regionals is underway in Charlotte. The Gamecocks played M a r y land in the opening round yester day while Duke played Virginia, Wake Forest played N. C. State, and UNC played the Cle m so n t Tigers. The Tar Heels of UNC and the Gamecocks w e r e pre-tournament favorites, but the ACC Tourna ment is notorious for not going the way everybody thinks it will. UNGUSC The Tar Heels with All-America Charlie Scott, Bill Bunting, Rusty Clark, Eddie Folger, Dick Grubar and a bench full of capable re serves have won the championship two years running, and Dean Smith could be the first coach to win three tournaments in a row if UNC can survive t h e three night struggle. The Gamecocks should present the strongest challenge to the Tar Heels. Frank McGuire's crew lost their last two games going into < the tournament. A win by the Gamecocks in the first r o u n d would give them the first 20-win season in the school's basketball history. The Gamecocks' weakness would have to be a lack of depth. To win the tournament they must fight through three games in three lays with sleep in a motel room and irregular meals sandwiched in be tween. That kind of schedule can take its toll on a team that plays five men all the way. Nonetheless the G a m e c o c k s must be considered strong contenders for t h e title,1 with honorable mention All-Amer ica John Roche capable of throw ing in points from almost any where on the court. DUKE The Duke Blue Devils, t w i c e Gamecock victims during the reg ular season, can't be counted out of the running. Duke put together an inspiredl performance on the last (lay of the regular season to up)set UNC. This is Vie Bubas' last year as the Duke head coach andl the Blue Devils may be charged-up in try ing to give Bubas a going-away present. OKINAWAN ISSHYNRU KARATE School. Been establishecd in Co lumbia aver five years. Expert 4th degree black belt Iitruction by Mr. Norman Barkoot, who in structed Current U. S. champion Louis Delgado. Special Carolina rates: $15.00 per month for 16 lessons (4 times a week) In a mod ern fully equipped school with padded floors (not hardwood). Con venient location by bus, at 4330 Ft. Jackson Blvd. Far information col 787-2500. "BEAUTIFUL! The entire film violence..,.a Renaissance recaj played with pure 1968 passion! RoMEO &JUILIE] No ordinoi~ love '-toi Winner of 4 Academy Award Nominationsi Adults $1.50444 Students 1.25 m i riotte hamp Randy Denton, the Duke center, trd floor leader Dick DeVenzio )ace the attack. Forward Steve landenberg turned in a magnifi. ent showing a g a i n a t the Tar ieels Saturday, and if these three ire all in top form, Duke could >e the spoiler. If Duke beats Virginia and the Namecocks t a k e Maryland, t h e wo will play in the semifinals onight. N. C. State and Wake Forest ire two teams tied for third with )uke but forced into the fourth Lnd fifth brackets by the toss of he coin that determines the seed. ngs in case of ties. STATE-WAKE State and Wake met Thursday or the right to play the winner >f the UNC-Clemson match to. i i g h t. State has a tradition of urning into a lion in the tourna. nent, especially in years w h en hey were supposed to be a lamb. Last year State came out in a ;lowdown to e n d all slowdowns tnd froze Duke right out of the ournament, 12-10, in the semi. 'inal round. State's Van Williford brings a I-point scoring average into the ourney and with help from Joe 3erdich, could make the 'Pack an. >ther State giant-killer. Wake Forest, with C h a r li e )avis and Gil MacGregor, is an. >ther t e a m that the conference )owers had better w a t c h. The 3tate-W a k e battle figures to go -ight up to the final buzzer before he winner is determined. Virginia, Maryland and Clem. -on, the bottom of the conference, tren't expected to give the rest of he conference too much trouble. Maryland has given the Game. locks some trouble in their past ,wo games. Will Hetzel, Pete John. on and crew could give the Game. !ocks a rude reception into the .ournament. CHERIE S40o GuaranteedI Perfect BUDGET TERMS "Two Secrea to Serve You" In DOWNTOWN Columbia 1611 MAIN ST.-- 1437 MAIN ST. LEON MARTIN, JEWELER is a poem of youth, love and itulation of 'West Side Story' -PLAYBOY