Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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UCLA By TEDDY HEFFNER Sports Editor UCLA has won four straight national championships and have the materials to make it five in a row this year if they can fight off strong challenges from always tough Kentucky and new powers USC. Jacksonville and Notre Dame. The Bruins lost only two games last year and lost only one player guard John Vallely-returning to make Coach Johnny Wooden another contender for Coach of the Year awards are 6-8 Sidney Wicks, an All-America at his position last season, 6-7 Curtis Rowe and 6-9 Steve Patterson. UCLA hasn't figured out who will join hot-shooting guard Henry Bibby yet but it will be either sophomore Tommy Curtis or junior college transfer Bob Webb. Ken Booker, a valuable reserve last year also returns. Wooden would not predict another national championship but he did say, "We'll have a fine team. If we win our conference then our chances in the tour nament are as good as any ones." 4" 7-2 Artls Gilmore (53 State Seminole during USC, UK seeks Carolina has All-Americas J( Roche and Tom Owens plus ( Tom Riker and a bevy of talen men to fill the gaps. Coach Fr4 McGuire's crew must get by ACC tournament, however, to el rate a shot at the NCAA finals Artis Gilmore returns his body to the collegiate wars i despite losing coach Joe Willia to Furman, Gilmore should mi the Jacksonville machine funct well. THE GAMECOCK 1. UCLA 2. USC 3. Jacksonville 4. Kentucky S. Notre Dame 6. Duke 7. W. Kentucky 8. Long Beach State 9. Southern Cal 10. Penn The big problem will be replace "Reckless Rex" Mor the team's captian and sparkI last year. Vaughn Wedeking and of the 4 and 7-0 Pem brook Burrov me of few losses Jacksonvl SIrish, Dolph fifth si &m good outside shot at only 5-10, may -10 be that man. Jacksonville, who ted claim to be the tallest team in the kk nation last year, may get the honor the once more this time around as 7-0 Fen Pembrook Burrows also returns. Junior College transfers Harold 7-2 Fox, 6-0 guard, and Ernie Fleming, ind 6-7 forward, will be counted on to ms lend a helping hand. ike Baron Aldoph Rupp has had Ion some good basketball teams in his career at Kentucky and he says PRESEASON TOP TWENTY 11. Marquette 12. N. Mexico State 13. Utah State 14. Villanova 15. Houston 16. Drake 17. Kansas 18. Florida State 19. Temple 20. Colorado to this year's squad could be the best gan yet. dug Rupp lost 33.9 scorer Dan Issel , a but 7-0 Tom Payne and 6-11 Jim 4i ( es 0 vs (42) combine to halt Florida lie suffered last year. is challenge traight Andrews may help him forget quickly. Andrews is up from the I frosh while Payne back after a I year of book cramming. Mike Casey. who missed last I year due to a car wreck, was in jured in preseason practice but is I expected to* be well by the first 1 game. Tom Parker and Larry Stamper. both 6-6, return as does 6 .5 Larry Steele. "Kentucky," Rupp said, "is looking forward to a great year." The nation's number two scorer last year is back and with him rests the hopes of John Dee's Fighting Irish from Notre Dame. Austin Carr. a 6-3 guard with a 38 point average, brings his All America credentials back for another year. Carr has help this time around. 6-7 Collis Jones averaged 18 points and 13 rebondts per outing last year and be is joined in the forecourt by 64 Sid Catlett and 6-8 John Pleich. 6-1 Jackie Meehan, a slick passer. 6-3 Doug Gemmel and 6-4 Tom Sinnott have the respon sibility of getting the ball to Carr or one of the inside men. g ALWAYS FIRST Like it... G amecock Now Shop 1 title UCLA. Carolina, Jacksonville, (entucky and Notre Dame. These ive teams seem the best bet to vind up in the national finals in -louston when March rolls around. But nobody picked Jacksonville .o be there last year. Other teams nay break through. The Best bets: DUKE: The Blue Devils return ill five starters from last season's 4IT team plus they bring up an indefeated freshman group. Randy Denton, Rick Katherman, Larry Saunders, Brad Evans and pesky playmaker Dick DeVenzio all started in New York. 6-10 Allen Shaw, 6-4 Richie O'Connor and 6-3 gunner Gary Melchionni are up from the frosh. WESTERN KENTUCKY: Big Mac. No not a hamburger. A 7-0 All-America giant that hit at a 29.6 pace last season. Jim McDaniels returns and is the big cog in the Hilltopper's attack. He led them to a 22-3 record last year. 6-8 Clarence Glover, 6-4 Jerome Perry and 6-3 Jim Rose will be the chief WK weapons to go along with McDaniels. (Continued on Page 15) 2UALITY Blazer has single breasted or 6 button double breasted tailoring. Wider lapels, body shaping. Dacron* polyester/worsted wool. Colors. 3995 Charge it! Cuff Links 6.00 il 9:30